Speaking

Task 17. Think of a profession. Try to guess what professions your partners have in mind. The following YES/NO questions may help you:

1. Do you work indoors / outdoors?

2. Do you work in shifts?

3. Do you wear uniform?

4. Do you deal with …?

5. Do you use any special tools?

6. Do you meet a lot of people?

7. Do you have to speak foreign languages?

8. Do you have to go on business trips?

9. Do you need any special skills/education?

10. Is your profession prestigious / well-paid?

Task 18. Complete the sentences.

1. The Customs is the state body which …

2. The duties of the customs officer include …

3. If you want to be a customs officer you should …

4. A person can’t be a customs officer if …

Task 19. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a customs officer. Make a list:

advantages	disadvantages
It is prestigious…	Customs officers have to work in shifts …

Task 20. Get ready to speak on the topic. Use the vocabulary of the unit.

Communication activities.

Task 21. What sort of personality characteristics are most important for:

- a customs officer / - a flight attendant? Mark three of the following:

decisive stable sympathetic

independent brave authoritative

emotional strong friendly

self- disciplined kind fair

supportive firm reliable

Compare your choices with your partner.

Task 22. If you were unemployed would you take a job in:

a factory a hospital a Customs warehouse

a bank a shop a scientific research centre

a bakery a library an Internet café

a restaurant a theatre the Customs Academy

a school an airport a police station

See if your answers are the same with your partner’s and if you answered «maybe» say what it would depend on. What jobs would you hate to do and why?

Task 23. What would be your ideal job?

• What are the most important aspects of job satisfaction for you?

• Describe some personal and physical qualities that a person needs for this job?

• What qualities are essential for this job? Cross out the ones you think you don’t possess and therefore may have to work on.

Discuss your answers to these questions with your partner and give an

explanation for your choice.

Task 24. Think of any job and imagine it is yours. Imagine 5 things you did yesterday as part of your job and write them down. Read out your story to your partner. See if he can guess what your job is.

Task 25. Discuss with your partner the following: what sort of personal characteristics do you think are the most important for a customs officer? Mark three of the following (using one for the most important, then two and three).

decisive

sympathetic

empathetic

attentive

emotional

authoritative

clever

sad

loyal

friendly

strong

kind

generous

independent

stable

brave

tall

honest

strict

serious

blue-eyed

self-disciplined

melancholy

Task 26. Role -play.

a) You are a customs officer. Answer these questions for a school leaver interested in a career in the Customs.

1. What qualities does a Customs officer need?

2. Why do you think it is a difficult science to study?

3. Which subjects should I study if I want to be a Customs officer?

4. What career opportunities are there for someone who has studied Customs matters?

5. Do all Customs officers do the same kind of the work?

6. What type of work is being done in Customs in Russia?

7. Why do some people say career prospects in the Customs Service are very good?

8. Why do you say a career in the Customs Service could be very exciting in future?

b) Discuss your answers in class.

Task 27. Group work. In groups decide on a job vacancy, e. g. a customs officer, a dog handler, a customs broker, etc. Three students then role play the job interviewers. One is sympathetic, one aggressive and one is neutral. The other students role -play the applicants. Several people are interviewed for the same job. The interviewers then discuss them, comparing their abilities. The group can decide who gets the job.