1.In the course of working my way through school, I have taken many jobs I would rather
forget. 2.I have spent nine hours a day lifting heavy automobile and truck batteries off the
end of an assembly belt. 3.I have risked the loss of eyes and fingers working a punch
press in a textile factory. 4.I have served as a ward aide in a mental hospital, helping care
for brain-damaged men who would break into violent fits at unexpected moments. 5.But
none of these jobs was as dreadful as my job in an apple plant. 6.The work was
physically hard; the pay was poor; and most of all, the working conditions were dismal.
2. 1
Tae kwon do is a Korean martial art. 2
It is a way of fighting and self-defense based on
any understanding of both body and mind. 3
As a college student, I discovered tae kwon
do. 4 Even though I was physically fit and planned to become a police officer, I thought
that women needed special skills to protect themselves. 5 Tae kwon do teaches these
skills and much more. 6 The person who practices tae kwon do gains discipline, maturity,
and a changed self-concept.
3. 4 That was the most boring and painful job I’ve ever had, but it motivated me to change
my life.
4. 1
Most people believe that stress has a negative effect on their lives. 2
Under severe stress,
most cannot function effectively – or at all. 3
Pressured by tight deadlines, heavy
workloads, or competitive situations, they may suffer from such problems as anxiety,
sleeplessness, or ulcers. 4
Yet stress in not necessarily bad. 5
Contrary to poplar opinion,
people can learn to turn stress into a valuable asset in the classroom and the workplace.
5. 1
Sixty-five is the traditional age for workers to retire in the United States. 2
Conventional
wisdom says that they have fulfilled their work obligations and should now leave job
openings for those on the way up the career ladder, including young people just starting
out. 3
However, for many reasons, today’s companies should look for ways to keep their
older employees instead of forcing people to retire at age sixty-five.