Johnny: Good. Things are good. I’m really enjoying my job...lots of work, but I’ll be rich in three years! (laughs)
Harry: You work all the time. I don’t know how you manage it. You should take a break some time, come and play football with me!
Johnny: Too busy, mate, too busy. Venture capital –it’s so exciting right now. All the opportunities opening up in China. And I’m here to make the most of it! You should think about changing your job, Harry – get a piece of the action!
Harry: You’re right...I’m always thinking about changing jobs...but I only know about computers, nothing else.
Johnny: There are lots of computer experts around. You need to specialise!
Harry: Perhaps you’re right, but I really like my job.
Johnny: Is the money good?
Harry: Not bad...
Johnny: But not good?
Harry: Well, I could find a job that pays more, but I would enjoy it less...
Johnny: You could come and work for our company!
Harry: Hmmm..is that an offer?
Johnny: Yes...I’m serious! Listen, I’ll have a word with the human resources people tomorrow. I know there are some vacancies at the moment in the IT team...you’d easily get it. Have to go now, see you soon.
Harry: Yeah, cheers, see you mate.
(enter Olivia)
Olivia: Hi there! You on your own?
Harry: Yeah, Johnny’s just gone off to work...
Olivia: As always. Never stops, that boy.
Harry: Talking of which, what are you doing here. Shouldn’t you be in the shop?
Olivia: I’m just taking a break. I’m fed up of standing in that shop selling shoes all day, to tell you the truth.
Harry: They’re very nice shoes, though.
Olivia: All hand made, of course. But, like I say, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life running that shop.
Harry: You could sell your shoes on the web.
Olivia: That’s right! I’ve thought about that already...
Harry: Have you got anybody to set up a website for you?
Olivia: No…but I did think...I was wondering...I don’t suppose....
Harry: What?
Olivia: ...that you’d be interested?
Harry: Me? Do your website for you?
Olivia: Well, yeah...I’d like someone I know...someone I can trust...
Harry: Well, I guess I could do it, sure...I’ll have to think...
(enter Fadi)
Olivia: Hi Fadi! How are you doing? Do you know my friend Harry?
Fadi: No...nice to meet you!
Harry: Yeah...you too...cheers.
Olivia: Fadi works in the restaurant business, don’t you Fadi?
Fadi: Well, sort of, not exactly...we supply food to lots of restaurants, but...I tell you..it’s a nightmare at the moment...
Olivia: Oh dear. What’s the problem?
Fadi: Well, there’s just too much work really...can’t keep up. It’s my dad’s business, but he’s getting old now. My uncle works with us too, but he’s not really interested, so it’s all up to me...I can’t keep track of what’s coming in and going out...
Harry: Sounds like you need a better stock management system!
Fadi: (surprised) Yeah! That’s exactly what I was thinking – how did you know that?
Harry: That’s my job, innit? I set up computerised stock management systems, all kinds of business IT solutions...
Fadi: Wow! That’s brilliant! Listen...seriously now...would you be interested in some work?
Harry: Erm...well..yeah!...(laughs). That’s three job offers in the last five minutes! What should I do?
Glossary
Venture capital (noun) Money available to invest in a new business
Venture capital is exciting because it’s risky; you don’t know for sure that a business will be successful
Human Resources (noun) The people employed in a company
The Human Resources department is recruiting three new secretaries
A vacancy (noun) An unoccupied place, for example in a place of work
There’s a vacancy for a chef in the restaurant where I work; why don’t you apply?
To run (verb) To be in charge of something
I think I could run the company better than my boss!
A nightmare (noun) A bad dream
I had a terrible nightmare last night; I woke up crying
Stock (noun) A supply of goods waiting to be sold
We need to build up more stock; we sold nearly everything yesterday
Comprehension 1
Choose the correct word(s) in each sentence
1 Harry / Johnny plays football
2 Harry likes / doesn’t like his job
3 There are vacancies for computer / human resource experts in Johnny’s company
4 Olivia sells cheap / expensive shoes
5 Fadi prepares / sells food
6 Fadi’s uncle / father owns the business
Comprehension 2
Fill the gaps with a word from the box
[open box]
solutions exclusive alone
online job workaholic
[close box]
1 Johnny is a …………..
2 Olivia’s shoes are ………….
3 Harry has had three ….. offers
4 Harry is ……… in the café when Olivia arrives
5 Olivia has thought about selling shoes ………….
6 Harry finds ………….. for companies with computer problems
Vocabulary 1
Match to make common verb collocations
1 Take a football
2 Play b the truth
3 Make c a website
4 Find d a break
5 Pay e the most of something
6 Tell f a shop or a business
7 Run g more
8 Set up h a job
Vocabulary 2
Find a word or phrase in the tapescript that means the same as:
