English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. » Review: Units 19–21

Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks in the paragraph. Use the words below to help you.

  • reference
  • interview
  • downsize
  • current
  • let go
  • candidate
  • strategy
  • first impressions
  • skills
  • walk out

You have the job of your dreams, but unfortunately the company you work for is forced to (1) _____ , and you’ve been (2) _____ . Don’t panic. You need to keep a cool head and think of a good (3) _____ to get yourself another job! Don’t leave on a bad note and (4) _____ in anger; you may need a (5) _____ from your (6) _____ employer saying why you are such a good (7) _____ for a new position. Practice before going to an (8) _____ , especially if it’s been a while since you’ve done this. Make sure they know what (9) _____ you have and remember to dress professionally. (10) _____ are really important!

Informal Language

Look at how these expressions are used in a sentence. Can you explain what they mean?

  1. Don’t worry. I promise I’ll keep in touch when I move to another state for my new job.
    _____________
  2. Those ladies in the office never seem to do any work! They spend the whole day yakking about nothing.
    _____________
  3. I’m afraid my Internet is down, so I’ll need to send the documents by snail mail.
    _____________
  4. You really should do your homework about a company before you decide to work for them.
    _____________
  5. Don’t let the cold weather get you down. It’ll soon be spring.
    _____________
  6. I was really lucky to find that new position by word of mouth before it was even posted on the job site.
    _____________
  7. Talking to him is a real waste of time. He never listens to my ideas.
    _____________
  8. Once you get your foot in the door of a company, you can start to move up.
    _____________
  9. Sometimes in an interview, they will ask tricky questions to try to throw you.
    _____________
  10. It is especially important to be a good team player in a small company.
    _____________
Grammar

Choose the correct answer from those provided to fill in the gaps.

SAMUEL: Hi, Philip. What’s up?

PHILIP: Well, there’s some good news and some bad news. You know that I (1) _____ (worked/have worked) at Jo’s café for 10 years now.

SAMUEL: Sure. (2) _____ (Have you decided/Did you decided) to leave?

PHILIP: No. I (3) _____ (hasn’t quit/haven’t quit). Actually, it’s the opposite: I’ve been offered a promotion.

SAMUEL: That’s great. Are you going to take them up on their offer?

PHILIP: Are you kidding? Of course I am! I’ll get paid more, and if I (4) _____ (will earn/earn) more money, my wife and I (5) _____ (will travel/travel) to see family more often. The bad news is that I’ll need that raise to pay off the new fine I owe.

SAMUEL: What new fine? (6) _____ (Did you speed/Were you speeding) in that fast car of yours again?

PHILIP: No. I (7) _____ (didn’t go/wasn’t going) too fast. But I (8) _____ (did chat/ was chatting) on the cell phone while I (9) _____ (drived/was driving). I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to tell my wife. Then the police (10) _____ (pulled me over/has pulled me over).

SAMUEL: Oops . . .

PHILIP: Yes, oops. Now I’ve got to go and tell my wife where my first raise is going!

SAMUEL: Good luck!

Answer Key
Vocabulary
  1. downsize
  2. let go
  3. strategy
  4. walk out
  5. reference
  6. current
  7. candidate
  8. interview
  9. skills
  10. first impressions
Informal Language
  1. in touch: connected by talking or writing
    I promise I’ll phone, write, or e-mail you.
  2. yak: have a very casual conversation, usually about nothing
    They spend the whole day talking about nothing.
  3. snail mail: the postal service
    I’ll have to send them in the regular post, not by e-mail.
  4. do your homework: look carefully to find out about something
    You need to find out as much as you can about this company.
  5. get you down: make you feel discouraged
    Don’t let the cold weather depress you. It will soon get warm.
  6. word of mouth: hearing something from a friend
    A friend told me about the job before it was posted.
  7. waste of time: something that is not worth doing
    There is no point talking to him because he doesn’t listen.
  8. foot in the door: first step in working toward a goal
    When you start to work in a place, even in a low-level position, it is a good start that could help you get a better position someday.
  9. throw you: make you feel nervous
    Sometimes they will ask difficult questions to see if you can answer them under stress.
  10. team player: someone who works well with others to get a job done
    You need to be able to work well with others in a small company.
Grammar
  1. have worked
  2. have you decided
  3. haven’t quit
  4. earn
  5. will travel
  6. were you speeding
  7. wasn’t going
  8. was chatting
  9. was driving
  10. pulled me over
Answer Key
Favorite Books
Speak English Like an American

If you already speak some English and now would like to speak more like a native, “Speak English Like an American” will help you. One of the keys to speaking like a native is the ability to use and understand casual expressions, or idioms. American English is full of idioms. Speak English Like an American will help you understand and use idioms better. It contains over 300 of today's most common idioms.

Read more
Speak English Around Town

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

Read more
illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories 1

The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.

Read more
illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories 2

The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.

Read more
Easy American Idioms

Do you want your English to sound natural and fluent? Idiomatic expressions are essential to natural sounding English, but they can be challenging to remember, and even harder to use in conversation. This simple and straightforward program can help you master hundreds of useful and common idiomatic expressions. Best of all, you don't need a book, so you can listen anywhere and anytime it's convenient. It's a piece of cake!

Read more
Everyday Conversations: Learning American English

Everyday Conversations is intended for sixth- and seventh-grade students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL). Students can listen to and/or read dialogues in English. Topics of the conversations include introductions and small talk, shopping, asking for directions, hobbies, and giving advice.

Read more