Listening - Work & Careers

A story about Thomas and his job at the post office and his problems with a co-worker, Cynthia.

Present simple for describing work routines and expressing likes and dislikes

A zookeeper describes her daily tasks, taking care of animals and interacting with visitors.

Present simple for talking about work routines and describing animals and their care

Two colleagues discuss sound and internet problems during an online meeting.

Present simple and imperatives for technical troubleshooting and giving suggestions

Diana tells her friend about how her new job is going.

Quantifiers: few, a little, much, many, etc

Pia goes for a job interview to try and get a new job.

Past simple and present perfect to talk about experiences and events

Chris talks to his friend, Janice, about the terrible office he works in.

Past Continuous

Three people describe photos of offices.

Photo description, using so and such

Three people talk about unusual jobs they have.

Describing jobs and routines

A friend helps a nervous job candidate rehearse his interview answers and break his worst habits before the big day.

Giving advice, conditionals, interview vocabulary

A famous actress is interviewed about her recent work.

Conversation about actress's current work in the theater and movies

Radio interview between presenter and man who works as a caterer for pets.

Man describes everyday activities and procedure related to his job

Four people talk about work colleagues.

Personality vocabulary, describing people

Two friends discuss whether Tyler should quit his stable job to restore and sell furniture full-time.

Discussing risk and probability; financial language

Two commuters on a delayed train compare notes on cancellations, season ticket costs, and the lack of remote working options.

Complaining and commiserating; expressing frustration

A former content creator discusses burning out after four years online and what he now tells other creators as a coach.

Discussing burnout; digital media and audience vocabulary

A professional cook reflects on fifteen years in restaurant kitchens, from the worst service of her career to what keeps her coming back.

Descriptive narrative; sensory and workplace vocabulary

A nurse practitioner describes eleven years of working in remote fly-in communities in northern Canada, from improvised medicine to the cost of isolation.

Healthcare in remote settings; discussing systemic issues with sensitivity

A retired diplomat recalls a fourteen-month trade negotiation in Southeast Asia that taught her everything she knew about patience was wrong.

Diplomatic and cross-cultural vocabulary; narrative reflection