Are any of your friends unemployed? Have they ever had a job? Why do you think they lost it? What other causes of unemployment are there? Try to imagine how people feel when they have been unemployed for a long time. How do their lives change? Talk together. Read the blog posts of two unemployed people in America. How do they feel? 13 a b Reading & Writing 14 Joe, 27 | Colorado How can you stay upbeat? Unemployment is an emotional roller coaster. One day (one hour even) I’m way up, and the next I’m way down. What triggers the peaks and valleys isn’t always obvious or logical. I used to be fairly eventempered – strange and goofy – but even-tempered. So the huge mood swings give me some concern. My sense is that the highs and lows will level out when I’m employed. My job prospects aren’t looking up in the new year, despite news of economic growth and mixed reports of job growth. I’m seeking work wherever I can find it, including temp and freelance positions. My unemployment insurance will run out shortly. My bills won’t. And, frankly, the ongoing unemployment is really wearing on me. Maryan, 23 | Maine They just don’t know what it’s like It seems like there are always those out there who believe they have all the answers and are ready to pass judgment on others. I get that all the time really. Those who haven’t experienced long-term unemployment can’t possibly understand what it’s like. And this economic downturn is very different from any we’ve ever experienced. I recently read a news article where a recruiter comments that the difficult people to place used to be ex-offenders or the homeless, but now it’s the chemists and engineers! In other words, many, many people out there who are highly skilled, highly trained, highly educated and very qualified are nevertheless finding themselves unemployed for extended periods of time. Imagine you are looking for an internship for the next summer. You have already sent 15 applications, but they have all been turned down. In your blog post, you write about how you feel and what you’re going to do next. In your blog post (around 150 words), you should: ■■ describe your current situation ■■ explain what kind of employment you are looking for ■■ address your readers and ask for advice 1 Writing guide: Blog post, p. 197. Read at least three of your classmates’ blog posts and write a blog comment on one of them. In your blog comment (around 90 words), you should: ■■ refer to your classmate’s problems ■■ speculate about why he/she has not found an internship so far ■■ give job hunting advice 1 Writing guide: Blog comment, p. 198. 15 a b Language skills Extras Explore 6 Work, work, work 79 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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