UNIT2: CAREERS AND CHOICES
Key unit competence: To use language learnt in the context of careers
and choices
Introductory activity
Picture observation and interpretation
Observe and discuss activities taking place in the figures below
Questions for discussion1. Identify different activities that are taking place in each figure.2.1 Describing different types of careers and specific jobs
2. Why do you think people do different jobs?
3. What would you do if you chose a career and found it too challenging?
4. Do you think qualifications and skills are necessary? Discuss.
5. Recommend some pieces of advice for young people to choose a goodcareer.
Pre-reading activity
2.1.1. Learning activities: Reading and text analysis
Text 1: Different professions and specific jobs
There are many professions in the world: doctors, teachers, artists,
investigators, journalists, historians and so on. All these professions have their
excitement, fascination and frustration. Some say that there are as many
kinds of professions as there are people. So, everyone has to choose the one
that suits them.
Among all of those professions, there are five that I admire most. First and
foremost is the profession of teaching. A teacher is a nation builder. He is a role
model for his students. In the modern materialistic age, the teachers have lost
the high status they used to enjoy in society. Still, one can say, teaching is the
noblest of all professions.
The second profession I admire most is the profession of a doctor. There is no
doubt many doctors have these days grown very greedy. They try to fleece
the poor helpless patients. But I’m here talking about an ideal doctor only.
Such a doctor has the milk of human kindness in him. He considers service to
mankind his mission. He charges moderate fees and works wholeheartedly
to mitigate the sufferings of the ailing humanity.
The third profession which I admire most is the profession of a soldier. A soldier
is the saviour of the country and its people. He is ready to sacrifice his life for
the sake of his country. He must be given due respect, regard and status in
society.
The fourth profession I admire most is the profession of a farmer. A farmer
supplies food to all the people. Nobody can live without food. So, all of us
depend for food on the farmer. The farmer must be given better treatment and
facilities.
The fifth profession I admire most is that of a politician. This may seem strange as
the politicians are condemned everywhere. The reason for their condemnationgenerally is because they are mostly corrupt.
But I’m talking here about an ideal politician only. Such a politician is a model
of service to society, country and mankind. Before independence, we had such
great politicians as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Balgangadhar Tilak,
Gopal Krishna Gokhale and others. I wish we had such great selfless leaders
and politicians now also.Adopted from: Manish, (2020)
Comprehension questions:
1. What are the professions that the writer admires most?
2. Why is teaching a noble profession according to the writer?
3. Mention the qualities of a professional doctor as described in the passage.
4. Why some politicians are condemned?
5. Compare the person who did different jobs within different professionswith the person who only had one profession in life.
Application activity 2.1.2
Vocabulary and composition writing
1. VocabularyMatch words and expressions in column A with their meanings in column B
2. Composition writing:Choose one profession and write two paragraphs describing its benefits and
frustrations.2.2 Talking about Qualifications and skills
Pre-reading activity
2.2.1 Learning activities: Reading and text analysisText1: Relationship between qualifications and labour market
Read this text and answer the questions that follow:
Some people find academic degrees or other training essential milestones
for future success, while others believe that this does not guarantee future
success and there are other relevant factors just as crucial. Personally, I take
the opinion that success is not guaranteed.
On the one hand, gaining educational qualifications is certainly a method with
which to gain success in certain areas of life. With regards to a career, it makes
a person more competitive as employers will generally seek people who arewell-qualified for the best and most richly rewarded positions in their company.
This is true for all types of work, be it as an accountant or lawyer; or work in
the building trade. It can also be viewed as bringing success in terms of one’s
own development, as for some people gaining more educational qualifications
is not for work but instead leads to a sense of personal accomplishment and
fulfilment.
On the other hand, it is not certain that success will follow. In terms of work,
many people study hard to become well-qualified but then fail to reach the
heights of success that they expected. This is because in today’s world there
is a high level of competition for many jobs and a high number of graduates
or qualified people. Not only this, there are other skills needed aside from
qualifications. ‘People skills’ are also very important and so regardless of the
level of qualifications, those who cannot get along well with others may be less
likely to achieve the success they desire.
In my opinion, therefore, educational qualifications can bring success in life for
many people, yet there are no guarantees this will be the case. Other factors
such as the current job market and personal skills are also factors of importance.Adopted from (IELTSbuddy, 2022)
Comprehension questions
1. Which method should be deployed in order to gain future success
described by the writer?
2. Do you think having academic success guarantees a job well done?
3. Compare academic qualifications and job market as discussed in the
passage above.
4. Mention other factors in addition to qualification that can ensure successin the job.
Text 2: Why you should choose accounting as a career
If you think of accountants as people who spend their days bent over adding
machines or manipulating spreadsheets, it’s time for an update. While
crunching the numbers and analyzing financial data is an essential part of
accounting, it also requires problem solving, creativity and strong communication
skills. Accountants help organizations make better decisions and help society do better.
Accountants provide fiscal insight, which, in turn, helps companies know
when to launch new products, move into new markets, or avoid money-losing
ventures. Accountants also are the guardians of financial accuracy across the
economy. They help protect against fraud, measure the impact of corporate
environmental initiatives, and find ways to reduce wasteful spending.
Many accountants find fulfilling careers doing auditing, tax or consulting work
for public accounting firms, jobs that require plenty of teamwork and often bring
opportunities for travel. And accountants with an entrepreneurial bent
often find success starting their own firms or working at a start-up.
Maybe the best thing about switching from another career into accountingis that you still bring all of that experience with you into the new accounting
role. If you were a teacher, for example, you’ll still have opportunities to explain
accounting concepts to people you work with as an accountant.
To sum up, the accounting field has plenty of great opportunities waiting for you.
You can work in a variety of industries and roles to fill your career with purpose.
With great pay, opportunities for growth, and the chance to help businesses
grow into the next decade and beyond, accounting is a great career path to
pursue.Adapted from (UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, 2022)
Comprehension questions
1. Is being able to adding numbers or manipulate spreadsheets enough to
be considered a good accountant? Explain.
2. How does providing fiscal insight help companies?
3. With an example from the passage, explain how one can bring theexperience they got from another career in accounting role.
Application activities 2.2.2
Vocabulary and composition writing
1. Vocabulary
Find the meaning of the following words used in the passage
a) Manipulating
b) Spreadsheets
c) Crunching
d) Insight
e) Ventures
f) Fraud
g) Fulfill
h) Accountants with an entrepreneurial bent
i) Switchingj) Pursue
2. Composition writing
Write a 200-word composition explaining the reasons why you havechosen accounting as a career.
2.3. Describing ways of finding jobs2.3.1 Learning activities: Reading and text analysis
Text 1: An interviewer and an interviewee
Read the interview conducted and answer questions that follow:
Interviewer: Welcome to ABC Controls, David. I am Tom.
Interviewee: Hello, it’s nice to meet you.
Interviewer: Nice to meet you too, how are you doing today?
Interviewee: I am doing well, and you?
Interviewer: Great, thanks. I hope we didn’t keep you waiting for long?
Interviewee: No, I had the chance to talk to one of your engineers while
waiting.Interviewer: That’s good. David, shall we start?
Interviewee: Yeah, sure.
Interviewer: First of all, let me introduce myself. I am the manager of ourengineering department here and we have an open position, so we have beeninterviewing applicants to fill the position as quickly as possible.Interviewee: Yes Sir, I read about the position on your website, and I think I
am a good fit.
Interviewer: We currently have several ongoing projects and the team is
working hard. We are hoping to keep busy for a long time.
Interviewee: What are the essential qualifications required for the position?
Interviewer: This is an entry-level engineering position; we do provide a lot of
training here. But we do require that you have at least a bachelor’s degree in
computer engineering. Previous experience in the field is a plus.
Interviewee: What kind of experience would you count as a work in the field?
Interviewer: Even though we provide training, it would be great if you had
some hands-on programming experience, knowledge of database systems or
skills on developing applications.
Interviewee: My final school project was actually developing a mobile
application, so I am fairly competent in developing mobile and web applications.
Interviewer: That’s good to hear, which school did you graduate from?
Interviewee: I was a student at DEF University, and I graduated with a
bachelor’s degree in computer science. I worked as a computer lab teacher in
school for about 2 years. Guiding students through their projects helped meget experience in several programming languages.
Interviewer: What are you looking for in a job?
Interviewee: The job should definitely help me grow in my career. I will be
happy to learn and grow as I work in a passionate company like yours.
Interviewer: You are right. There is plenty of room for advancement in our
company. What are your strengths? Why should I hire you?
Interviewee: I am a diligent person and a fast learner. I am very eager to learn.My friends also find me very easy to work with.
Interviewer: Very well. Now, do you mind working overtime?
Interviewee: No, I do not.
Interviewer: Because, sometimes we get overwhelmed with heavy workload.
Interviewee: I understand that’s the nature of the job. When I was going to
school, I took quite a few courses each semester while working at least twenty
hours every week. And, I handled that situation very well.
Interviewer: Do you have any questions for me?
Interviewee: No, I think I have a pretty good understanding of the requirements.
I believe that I can handle it with ease, and the fact that you provide all the
training sounds excellent. I hope to have the opportunity to work for you.
Interviewer: David, it is nice to meet you. I can tell that you are a good
candidate. Expect to hear from us within a week or so about the job.
Interviewee: Nice meeting you too. Thank you for your time.
Interviewer: Thank you for comingComprehension questions
1. What are the names of both interviewer and interviewee?
2. Which institution would like to recruit an employee and for which position?
3. Where did the applicant get the information from and what were the requirements?
4. Identify the interviewee working experience as described in the dialogue.
5. Mention the reason given by the applicant/interviewee about why he was
looking for that job.
6. Have you learnt any lesson from the interview read? Justify your answer.Text2. Finding jobs
Read the text below and answer comprehension questions:
Growing up in school, students are constantly reminded that a college education
is necessary to make a decent salary. Over the years, it has become evident to
many young adults that this statement is indeed true. However, as the need for
jobs increases, so does the necessity of being more competitive in a work field.Since our generation has grown up knowing that graduating from college is a
necessity, a college education is no longer enough to be competitive in the job
market; therefore, our generation has given birth to a new requirement to find
the right job after college. This requirement is known as an internship.
There are many people who are currently working in fields where they never
thought they would work. Their plans in life didn’t work out the way they wanted
and they are now living under what they once labelled “Plan B”. Companies
can be sure that interns are dedicated and truly interested in the field that theyare working in.
If you’re considering a new career, volunteering can help you get experience in
your area of interest and meet people in the field. Even if you’re not planning on
changing careers, volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important
skills used in the workplace, such as teamwork, communication, problem
solving, project planning, task management, and organization. You might feel
more comfortable stretching your wings at work once you’ve honed these skillsin a volunteer position first.
Volunteering offers you the chance to try out a new career without making a
long-term commitment. It is also a great way to gain experience in a new field.
In some fields, you can volunteer directly at an organization that does the kind
of work you are interested in. For example, if you’re interested in nursing, you
could volunteer at a hospital or a nursing home. Your volunteer work might also
expose you to professional organizations or internships that could benefit your
career.Finally, for finding jobs graduates either secondary students or University
students apply and when their application are accepted, they may sit for written
exams and interviews. Examples of channels include and not limited to Job in
Rwanda, Rwanda Civil Service Recruitment portal and Umurimo.com.Comprehension questionsAdopted from: (StudyMoose, 2018)
1. Which different ways of finding jobs are mentioned in the passage above?
2. Explain the relationship between professional internship and career
opportunity.
3. Do you think volunteerism can help someone to find a job? Explain.
4. How do people apply through Rwanda recruitment portal and job in
Rwanda?Application activities 2.3.2Vocabulary and summary writing1. VocabularyFind the meaning of the following words used in the passagea. Internshipb. Job marketc. Plan Bd. Volunteeringe. Professional2. Summary writingIn not more than 80 words, summarise the passage above pointing out theimportance of volunteering in professional development.2.4 Recounting a career
2.4.1 Learning activities: Reading and text analysis
A text: A Brief History of Accounting
The history of accounting or accountancy is thousands of years old and can
be traced to ancient civilizations. The early development of accounting dates
back to ancient Mesopotamia, and is closely related to developments in writing,
counting, money and early auditing systems by the ancient Egyptians and
Babylonians. By the time of the Emperor Augustus, the Roman government
had access to detailed financial information.In India Chanakya wrote a manuscript similar to a financial management book,
during the period of the Mauryan Empire. His book “Arthashasthra” contains
few detailed aspects of maintaining books of accounts for a Sovereign State.The Italian Luca Pacioli, recognized as the father of accounting and
bookkeeping was the first person to publish a work on double-entry bookkeeping,
and introduced the field in Italy.The modern profession of the chartered accountant originated in Scotland in
the nineteenth century. Accountants often belonged to the same associations
as solicitors, who often offered accounting services to their clients. Early
modern accounting had similarities to today’s forensic accounting. Accounting
began to transition into an organized profession in the nineteenth century, with
local professional bodies in England merging to form the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales in 1880.Accounting records dating back more than 7,000 years have been found
in Mesopotamia, and documents from ancient Mesopotamia show lists of
expenditures, and goods received and traded. The development of accounting,
along with that of money and numbers, may be related to the taxation and
trading activities of temples.The early development of accounting was closely related to developments inwriting, counting, and money. In particular, there is evidence that a key step in
the development of counting -the transition from concrete to abstractcounting was related to the early development of accounting and money and took place
in Mesopotamia.Other early accounting records were also found in the ruins of ancient Babylon,
Assyria and Sumeria, which date back more than 7,000 years. The people of
that time relied on primitive accounting methods to record the growth of crops
and herds. Because there was a natural season to farming and herding, it was
easy to count and determine if a surplus had been gained after the crops had
been harvested or the young animals weaned.
Between the 4th millennium BC and the 3rd millennium BC, the ruling leaders
and priests in ancient Iran had people oversee financial matters. In Godin Tepe
and Tepe Yahya, cylindrical tokens that were used for bookkeeping on clay
scripts were found in buildings that had large rooms for storage of crops. In
Godin Tepe’s findings, the scripts only contained tables with figures, while in
Tepe Yahya’s findings, the scripts also contained graphical representations.
The invention of a form of bookkeeping using clay tokens represented a huge
cognitive leap for mankind.
Adapted from (Rekenmeesters, 2016)Comprehension questions
1. Mention four developments that favoured the early development of
accounting as mentioned in the first paragraph.
2. Explain the contribution of Chanakya to modern accounting.
3. Who was recognized as the father of accounting and bookkeeping and why?4. Where did the modern accounting profession originate from?
5. How do the scripts found in Godin Tepe differ from those found in Tepe
Yahya?Application activities 2.4.2Vocabulary and role-play1. VocabularyUse the following words and expressions to make your own sentencespaying attention the context in which they are used in the passage.a) Tracedb) Auditingc) Manuscriptd) The father ofe) Solicitorsf) Herdsg) Tokensh) Cognitive2. Role-play
Put yourself in the shoes of an accountant in any institution and tell your
classmates the way you passed through detailing excitements, fascinations
and challenges you encountered.2.5 Language structure: The Present Perfect, PresentPerfect Continuous and past perfect2.5.1. Present prefect tenseThis tense connects the past with the present: completed or unchanging actions
or events. It cannot be used to make a reference to a particular point or period
(like last week, in January, at 2.am, etc.)
Generally, the present perfect tense is used when talking about:
a) Actions which took place in the past, but whose time is not precise or
mentioned.e.g. Have you been to Kigali?b) Experiencee.g. Have you ever travelled by plane?- Yes, I have. No, I haven’t.- No, but I’m planning to.c) Newse.g. Our country has sent an Ambassador to DRC.It is used for:– Completed actions or events at some time before now (no particulartime given)– Actions or events in periods of time not yet finished– Achievements– Actions with ever, and never referring to any time up to now– Unchanging situations in periods of time up to now– Series of completed actions up to now– Future actions after some conjunctions: after, before, as soon as, until,for, since, this week/month/year, etc.2.5.2. The use of since and for with the present perfect
tensea) SinceExamples:1. The population of DRC has increased since 1970.2. Rwanda has been independent since 1962. (this means that Rwandabecame independent in 1962 and that it is still independent).3. His Excellence Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda,has ruled the country since 2000.4. You have been students here since January 2011.b)b) ForExamples:1. Rwanda has been independent for 57 years in 2019.We use the perfect tense with since to indicate the beginning of a period of2. You have been students here for one month.3. Our English teacher has taught us English for one month.Formation and Usages of the Present Perfect:time.1. We use the present perfect tense with for to indicate the duration of aperiod of time.2. The use of just, almost, already and yet can be used with the presentperfect to show how an action/event is related to present. If you ask aquestion like: Have you written the other letter? Different answers maybe given. Answers can be:– Yes, I have already written it.– Yes, I have just written it.– I have almost written it.– No. I haven’t written it yet.– No. I haven’t yet written it.
– I am still writing it.
2.5.3. Formation and uses of the present perfect continuousThe present perfect continuous talks about an action which started before now
and is still continuing. The main concern is the time the action started.
a. How to form the present perfect continuous tenseCompare these sentences:The present perfect continuous is formed using this formula: have/has (Present
simple of the verb to have) + been + main verb in (ing) form.
Examples:
We have been studying to become lawyers.
They have been doing this job for three years now.
She has been waiting for her mother since yesterday!
Note: Since and for help us to know the time interval an action has taken.• Musafiri has been teaching since 2000. (Begun teaching that year upto now)• Musafiri has been teaching for fifteen years. (Has spent fifteen yearsteaching)b. When to use the present perfect continuous
The present perfect continuous is used when talking about:
1. An action which began in the near past and is still continuing. It does not
matter how long the near past is. e.g. He has been working as a doctor
for a very long time. (He still works as a doctor)
2. The time interval and length of an action up to present using since and
for.Examples:
• She has been lecturing since she finished her university.
• We have been waiting for the new manager for five months.
3. The present perfect continuous tense is also used when drawing
conclusionsExamples:2.5.4. Past Perfect Tense
• His eyes are red. It is clear he has been crying after that difficult job
interview.
• Look at his hands. He must have been cultivating for his entire life.ExamplesThe past perfect tense is used to show that something happened before anotheraction in the past. It can also be used to show that something happened beforea specific time in the past.a How to form the Past Perfect TenseExamples:
– She had met him before the interview
– The plane had left by the time I got to the airport.
– I had written the email before he apologized.
– Kate had wanted to see the movie, but she did not have money for the
ticket.b. When to use the Past Perfect Tense
The present perfect continuous is used in several situations. When talking about:
An action that happened before another in the past:Examples:
– She stayed up all night because she had received bad news.
– They lost many of the games because they had not practiced enough.
– You had studied Italian before you moved to Rome.When using the past perfect tense in this case, the most important thing toconsider is that one action happened before another in the past. The orderof events does not matter since the tense used shows clearly which eventhappened first.An action that happened before a specific time in the past:– She had established her company before 2008.– They had gotten engaged before last year.– I had fallen asleep before eight O’clock.An action in reported speech
Examples:– The teacher asked if we had studied for the exam.An action showing dissatisfaction with the past
– The boss had said it would be a long meeting.
Examples:– We wished we had purchased the winning ticket.– She wished she had seen her friend.– The boy wished he had asked another question.An action that took place slightly before another action in the past. In this case
the word “just” is used.Examples:– She had just left the scene when the ambulance arrived.– The bus had just left when we got to the stop.– I had just gone outside when it started to rain.Other cases in which the past perfect tense is used:– I had got the letter before new recruitment.– He understood the math test because he had been taught all week.– I did not have any cash because I had lost my purse.– I had been to Mexico once.– If I had seen him, I would have told him the news about his employees.– Before he did his homework, he had stayed after school for help.– She had lived in California before moving to Texas.– She had visited several doctors before she found out what the problemwas with her hand.Application activities 2.5.Make the positive or negative past perfect simple1. When I arrived at the cinema, the film…………. (start).2. She……….. (live) in China before she went to Thailand.3. After they …………….(eat) the shellfish, they began to feel sick.4. If you……………. (listen) to me, you would have got the job.5. Julie didn’t arrive until after I ……… (leave).6. When we……….. (finish) dinner, we went out.7. The garden was dead because it …… (be) dry all summer.8. He ……………(meet) her somewhere before.9. We were late for the plane because we…………(forget) ourpassports.10. She told me she ………………. (study) a lot before the exam.11. We couldn’t go into the concert because we…….(not/bring) ourtickets.12. The grass was yellow because it………(not/rain) all summer.13. The lights went off because we ………(not/pay) the electricity bill.14. The children ……..(not/do) their homework, so they were in trouble.15. We couldn’t go into the concert because we ……(not/bring) ourtickets16. They ……(not/eat) so we went to a restaurant.17. She said that she……..(not/visit) the UK before.18. Julie and Anne ………(not/meet) before the party.19. I ………(not/have) breakfast when he arrived.End of unit assessment 2.61. The majority of the youth nowadays aren’t minding about skills, theyonly wish to have degrees and go to the job market. Based on thisstatement, write a composition comparing qualifications and skillsfor labour market.2. Choose the correct answer from the brackets.a) We love this writer’s books. We (have been reading / had beenreading) them for years.b) Her clothes were dirty because she (has been working / had beenworking) in the garage.c) Where have you been? We (had been waiting / have beenwaiting) for you for ages.d) He hasn’t decided on a career yet, but he (has been thinking /had been thinking) about it lately.e) After she (has been playing / had been playing) the violin for tenyears, she joined an orchestra.3. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs inbrackets. Use the Present Perfect Continuous or the Past PerfectContinuous.a) How long ... your father...(work) for the company when he retired?b) Mike has never had an accident and he ....(drive) for years.c) She had no idea it was so late because she .... (not / watch) thetime.d) “ ... (you / take) your medicine regularly, Mrs Smith?” “Yes, doctor.”e) They eventually found the dog after they ...(look) for it all night.4. Complete the sentences with a suitable word or expression from thefollowing adverbs of time: for, by tomorrow, so far, the week before,sincea) Our TV hasn’t been working ... last week.b) The Browns invited us to dinner although we had only met ... .c) They will have finished painting the house ... .d) We had been writing ...nearly an hour when the bell rang.e) They have interviewed three suspects ... .5. Put each of the following words in its correct place in the text below:It is very important for everybody to make the right choice of 1) __________.And it is no wonder because there are a lot of honourable professionsto choose from, for example, the profession of a teacher, a doctor, acomputer-operator, an 2) __________, a journalist, an agronomist, aminer, a fitter, etc. It is difficult for the young people of seventeen to give adefinite 3) __________. There are lots of people who take 4) __________about their professions and their career very easily. It is a matter of factthat only few of them become successful in their careers and their 5)__________. Such people don’t gain much success in their professionsand their careers. The next point is that there is a big difference between6) __________ and career. Job is just a place to work in and to earnyour living while 7) __________ involves planning out the journey, pickingup the necessary skills along the way to be successful, and purposelydeciding what your 8) __________, skills and work values are. Choosinga career is a hot question for school-leavers. I know that leaving school isthe beginning of my independent life, the beginning of a far more seriousexamination of my abilities and 9) __________. My parents and schoolteachers helped me to 10) __________ my future profession. I wouldlike to become a teacher as my parents are. This profession is to myliking though I understand that it is a difficult job, but I like people and mylong-term dream is to bring up and teach children. Some people neverpick a career. They continue drifting from job to job, without consideringwhere the drifting will lead. 11) __________ may change their careerinterests or goals over time, but a well-chosen career usually leads tomore advanced and challenging opportunities. And let’s face it – you’relikely to be working most of your life, so why not enjoy what you’re doing.Finally, I’d like to advise you to choose your career carefully and then youwill be happy and 12) __________ in your future life.https: //en.islcollective.com/resources/printables/worksheets_ doc_docx/writing_comprehension career/preintermediate-a2- worksheet/65054