1. You are going to listen to the interview between the journalist and Fiona Guiffs, the translator. What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of this profession? Discuss with your partner.

2. Now listen to the interview and complete the chart below.

Advantages	Disadvantages
…	…

3. Now look at these extracts from the interview. Complete as many of the sentences as you can before you listen again.

1. In these days more and more people learn foreign languages, but this didn't reduce the ________ for translators.

2. As more and more nations trade with each other and have greater contact with each other, so more and more translators are required. But what exactly does the job ________?

3. And what are the ___ and ___ of being a translator?

4. The worst problem, believe or not, has little to do with language, it has more to do with _________.

5. You can be translating for somebody, and they say something that's meant to be funny and you just know the person you translate it to isn't going to find it the least that funny, because they have a totally different sense of humour. The whole thing ______ _____ and you feel terribly silly translating it.

6. I mean from a very early age I had, I suppose, a gift for languages and I realized that I could _____ them __ very quickly.

7. And that it would give me job satisfaction because I would be helping people who speak different languages to ______ together and work together.

8. Well, yes and no. The money _____ of it, certainly, hasn't turned out to be totally true.

9. People really aren't at all simple. And you soon find out that you can't __________ about nationalities.

10. I would certainly say, though, that I do help people from different countries to work and ______ together and I got a lot of satisfaction out of that.

11. Yes, well, there was an occasion I was translating in a business meeting and a problem was clearly beginning to _________.

12. I was translating for a client in some rather delicate _______ .

13. I mean, I translated it all properly, that's my job, but I _______ it slightly more politely than the original.

14. But it's not as _________ as some people seem to think.

Now listen again and check.

4. In pairs discuss the following questions.

1. What is the difference between “translator” and “interpreter”?

2. In your opinion what are the highs and lows of a profession of translator and interpreter? Are they similar or different?

3. What are the qualities of a good translator and interpreter? Are they similar or different?

4. Is there a special mission a good translator / interpreter has? What, if ‘yes’?

5. What influenced your choice of profession?

ROLE PLAY

Work in pairs. Do the roles below.

Student A

You are a final-year student of the Foreign Languages Department. You have applied for a position of a part-time translator / interpreter in TTK Ltd Company. They have invited you for an interview. You are very excited about it and really need this job but you have never been to an interview. Discuss with your friend how to pass it successfully and produce favourable impression on a potential employer. Pay attention to your professional qualities and experience in the field.

Student B

You are a graduate of the Foreign Languages Department. You are currently employed as an interpreter by a large translation buro. Before getting this position you attended several interviews and learned a lot about peculiarities of a selection process. You are willing to help your friend who has applied for a position of a part-time translator / interpreter in TTK Ltd Company and has been invited you for an interview. Discuss with your friend how to pass it successfully and produce favourable impression on a potential employer. Pay attention to your professional qualities and experience in the field.

LISTENING 2. Is something lost in translation?

1. You are going to hear an interview with Michael Gove and Professor Tony Briggs who discuss the problems of literary works translation. Before you listen discuss the following questions with your partner.

1. Have you ever tried to translate a piece from a work of prose or poetry? If yes, was it difficult? What was more difficult to render the plot, the idea of the original, its form, the impression it produces?

2. In the interview below Michael Gove and Professor Tony Briggs discuss whether a great work of literature can be translated.

3. What is your opinion concerning this issue? What is lost (if anything) in a translated work of literature?