General English Level 6 Version 2.1 © 2004 acl Pty Ltd GELEV6 Unit 03 Topic 05.doc Unit 03 Changing jobs Topic 05 My dream job READING 01 Comparing jobs Rani and her friend Jean write about two jobs they have each had, one they loved and one they hated. They compare and contrast their jobs. Rani When I was in high school I decided I was going to become a veterinarian, because I love animals so much. So, during the holidays, I got a part-time job helping in the local animal hospital for four weeks. Well, did I get a surprise! It was nothing like what I had dreamed about. Instead of the sweet, cuddly and cute little pets that I had imagined, I had to spend my time looking after unhappy, dirty and often smelly animals. I had no idea what to do, and was always asking the vet for help. It was much harder than I thought, and I couldn't wait to go back to school after the holidays were over! After that I decided that, whatever job I did, it was not going to be with animals! By my final school year I decided to be an industrial designer, and that's what I studied at university. Now, this is a great job! The other one didn't suit me at all, but industrial design is just what I like to do. I love focussing on a design problem and finding a suitable solution. This job is far less stressful for me than working with animals, although I know some people wouldn't agree. Like my friend, Jean, for example. Jean When I left school my first job was in a supermarket working on the checkout. In one way it was easy, because the scanner recorded the price of everything, but on the other hand there were some very unpleasant situations I had to deal with. It was all about customer relations, and I decided it wasn't the job for me. What a nightmare! So I thought long and hard about what I really wanted to do. Animals! They just had to be easier to deal with than the people I had met so far at work. So I went to the animal hospital nearby and worked as a vet's assistant. What a contrast! I loved it from the very first day, and have even completed my veterinary nursing studies as well. Although there's a lot more skill involved than in my first job, it's also very satisfying to know I can help animals get better. 96