Assignment 9. Read the following texts and fill in the gaps with the phrases given in the list below.

1. am not sure

2. appeals to

3. couldn't wait to

4. determined to

5. dreading

6. fancy

7. feel like going in to

8. feel quite tempted

9. got my eye on

10. hate to admit

11. have every intention of

12. have half a mind to

13. in two minds

14. intend to

15. keen to

16. longing for

17. mean to find

18. not clear on

19. quite like

20. rather like

21. to be quite honest

22. undecided as to

23. very much into

24. was dying to

25. would have given my right arm for

26. wouldn't mind

27. yearned for

Ron

Just five years ago ago I (1)____________leave school. I (2)____________ start work. I (3)____________ a nice steady job in a well established firm, and (4)____________ work my way up from the bottom. I'd rather not think about how many jobs I had. All I've ever asked for a bit of security. Instead I settled for odd jobs here and there, compromised left, right and centre and made do with what came my way. At times I (5)____________ a comfortable job, regular salary and some sort of prospects. I (6)____________ a second chance. Now with a university degree and a good knowledge of French and Italian I (7)____________ making a break. I've (8)____________ a company just down the road. I (9)____________ write to them today. And if I get the job I'm (10)____________ keep it longer than the others, so I'm (11)____________ make a good impression. But (12)____________, I don't (13)____________ the office again. I (14)____________, but I'm (15)____________ having to sit behind a desk from nine to five, I'm (16)____________ something different. I (17)____________ the idea of being a journalist. I'm (18)____________ travelling and enjoy taking challenges and meeting a lot of people. Every time it's like a new experience. And it would help me to update my knowledge of the languages.

As you can see I'm still (19)____________ what my future career will be. I'm sure that as long as I am trying to keep up to my aspirations, have a desire to learn and succeed, everything will come out right for me. 1 just need to pull up my socks.

Ruth

I'm (20)____________ what to do after the University. I (21)____________ to start work – the real world, but on the other hand I'd (22)____________ three years doing nothing very much and give myself time to make a choice of a career. To tell the truth, I don't really (23)____________ getting tied down to one profession just yet. There are so many options open today, so many alternatives to pick from, so many possibilities from which to choose. But you have to ask yourself what is more important to you – job satisfaction or money. It's perfect when these two are combined but sometimes it doesn't come out like this. Therefore I think that when you are choosing a career you have to have some realistic expectations.

Up to how I've been a very business-oriented person. I used to dream of making my way up to the top of some firm or other. I wanted to work in pleasant surroundings, to keep civilised hours, to have a nice salary and good career prospects. But lately I've been think­ing a lot about teaching as a career. I think the feeling of job satisfaction in this profession is the greatest. Teaching English to foreign students (24)____________ me, I really like the sound of it. Though I (25)____________ that I'll make a good teacher as I lack tolerance and self-discipline.

Quite frankly, I (26)____________ working in a travel agency. I'm the kind of person who finds it boring to stay too long in one place, I begin to get itchy feet. And this profession involves travelling, seeing new places, meeting new people. So I'm still (27)____________ what career to choose. But there is some time left to make up my mind. I simply want to be happy.