FCE Reading (Saturday jobs)

A. Keith

C. Caroline

I work in a department store on Saturdays, selling men's clothes. My friends mostly work as waiters at the weekend, or deliver newspapers in the mornings before school. They make fun of me because I spend all my time folding shirts. (I'm not particularly fond of doing it.) But I earn a good hourly wage and work in a pleasant environment so I don't care what they say. When I'm older it'll pay for my driving lessons — then I won't need any more lifts to work from Mum. And it's quite flexible — basically, I can give it a miss when I have too much homework. I even have a staff discount card which makes me very popular with my parents! And at the end of each shift, I'm able to buy reduced-price food in the food hall — a big advantage as I'm always hungry!

I've never had a part-time job before, but I recently started babysitting for family friends from time to time. It seems to be the most common job among my classmates as it's not badly paid and the kids are nice. One of my friends helps at children's parties, but there doesn't seem to be that much around for teenagers, apart from babysitting. The only other job I've had was as a waitress at a friend's mother's birthday party. I'm pleased to say I only had one incident involving a bowl of soup which I tipped down the side of a sofa, but the people were very reasonable about it. At some point I'd like a better-paid Saturday job, partly to subsidise my ever-increasing collection of clothes, but also for the experience, as I think I could learn a lot from it.

B. James

D. Freya

I wasn't too bothered about getting a Saturday job, but my father talked me into it — he'd done that sort of thing when he was a kid, and he felt he'd learned a great deal that way. So I started looking. I soon found myself spending Saturdays in a local chemist's. The hours were long, and the pay was rubbish, but then I persuaded my friend Tom to join me so it wasn't too bad. It also helped me to get my next job — I now work in a little supermarket round the corner. I think my dad was right — I've become far more independent, and I've learned a lot about people. Some of the customers come in and chat for hours! Like the other people I work with, I have less time to party because I have to get my schoolwork done as well. But when I do go out, I have a bit of money to spend - so it's worth it.

I was going to start a Saturday job at a hairdresser's, but Mum changed her mind about it at the last minute, saying I was wrong to risk letting my schoolwork suffer. Working part-time might leave me with less time for schoolwork I suppose, but she overestimates how much time I actually spend on it. Most people I know do something, even if it isn't every week, mainly babysitting for their parents' friends. I think if you work a few hours every week you learn to organise your time better. Now I tend to spend ages on the Internet and chatting to friends. I'm sure I wouldn't do that if I was working — I'd be too busy! But my mum has made her mind up so there's nothing I can do about it.

Which teenager...

argues that having a job encourages people to be more efficient?

says there is only a limited range of jobs to choose from?

has to put up with people teasing them?

hopes to find regular part-time work eventually?

puts up with a general disadvantage of having a job?

can choose to work less when short of time?

got a job to please someone else?

doesn't agree with the reason behind someone's decision?

was not told off for a mistake they made?

did what they could to improve their situation?

From: First for Schools 1 (2014). Cambridge University Press.