This support pack accompanies the audio soap opera 'Big City Small World'.

　　This support pack contains the following materials:

　　 a pre-listening vocabulary activity;

　　the transcript of the episode;

　　two comprehension activities;

　　two language activities

　　Before you listen

　　Exercise 01

　　In the table are 8 words from the programme. Below are synonyms of these words. Can you match them?

　　a. break

　　b. company

　　c. expert

　　d. handmade

　　e. last

　　f. mate

　　g. offer

　　h. supply

　　1. friend

　　2. virtuoso

　　3. business

　　4. proposition

　　5. rest

　　6. homemade

　　7. provide

　　8. latest

　　Transcript

　　Harry:  So how are things going, mate?

　　Johnny:  Good.  Things are good.  I’m really enjoying my job...lots of work, but I’ll be rich in three years!

　　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.

　　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...

　　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: 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!....  That’s three job offers in the last five minutes!  What should I do?

　　After listening

　　Exercise 02

　　Choose which of the word(s) in bold is correct in each sentence, based on the information from the programme.

　　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.

　　Exercise 03

　　Fill the gaps in the sentences with one of the words from the table.

　　a. alone

　　b. exclusive

　　c. job

　　d. online

　　e. solutions

　　f. workaholic

　　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.

　　Exercise 04

　　Match the words and phrases in the table with the verbs below to make common verb collocations.

　　a. a break

　　b. a job

　　c. a shop or a business

　　d. a website

　　e. football

　　f. more

　　g. the most of something

　　h. the truth

　　1. find

　　2. make

　　3. pay

　　4. play

　　5. run

　　6. set up

　　7. take

　　8. tell

　　Exercise 05

　　Choose the correct option; a, b or c.

　　1. You should ......................... a break.

　　a. take

　　b. to take

　　c. taking

　　2. I’m here to make ......................... of it!

　　a. most

　　b. the most

　　c. more

　　3. I only know ......................... computers.

　　a. of

　　b. about

　　c. at

　　4. There are ......................... vacancies.

　　a. any

　　b. a lot

　　c. some

　　5. I’m fed up with ......................... in that shop.

　　a. to stand

　　b. stand

　　c. standing

　　6. I ......................... about that already!

　　a. ‘ve thought

　　b. thought

　　c. did think

　　7. ......................... too much work.

　　a. There is

　　b. There are

　　c. There

　　8. Would you be interested ......................... some work?

　　a. on

　　b. by

　　c. in

　　Answers

　　Exercise 01

　　1. f; 2. c; 3. b; 4. g; 5. a; 6. d; 7. h; 8. e

　　Exercise 02

　　1. Harry; 2. likes; 3. computer; 4. expensive; 5. sells; 6. father

　　Exercise 03

　　1. f; 2. b; 3. c; 4. a; 5. d; 6. e

　　Exercise 04

　　1. b; 2. g; 3. f; 4. e; 5. c; 6. d; 7. a; 8. h

　　Exercise 05

　　1. a; 2. b; 3. b; 4. c; 5. c; 6. a; 7. a; 8. c