Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 76 - I still haven’t found my calling

Maggie: Do you know what exactly are you going to do after you leave college, Steve?

Steve: Not really! Given the endless possibilities and opportunities out there, you can easily get confused. I can say I still haven’t found my calling.

Maggie: How are you going to come to a decision then?

Steve: Well; I’m trying talk to those experienced people from different walks of life to gain some insight. I’ve looked into teaching, publishing. I’ve done some charity work. So just basically trying to gain some experience. How about you?

Maggie: To be honest, I mostly like to do something fills me with joy and excitement. For me life and work are inseparable. So enjoying what I do is my number one priority. Initially, I wanted to do law at university, but it was daunting; it didn’t click and I felt out of my depth. I’m really into English and I’m doing some research and making evaluations to take a shot at it.

Steve: All the best!

Vocabulary;

out there: in the wider world.

find one’s calling: to discover and pursue one's true and inherent passion, skill, or vocation.

different walks of life: different types of jobs and different levels of society.

gain insight: to get enough knowledge or information; to understand.

look into: to try to discover the facts about something.

inseparable: (adjective) unable to be separated or treated separately

daunting: (adjective) seeming difficult to deal with in prospect; intimidating.

click: to fall into place; make sense.

out of one’s depth: in a situation that is beyond one's capabilities.

take a shot: to attempt or try something.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. It is a big scary world out .........., so you should study hard and get a good job.

2. I know you're unhappy in your job, so I think you should take some time off to really find your ..........

3. If they wants to have a big mobile business they should take a .......... at making their own handset.

4. Of course she's out of her .......... with 25 employees reporting to her—she had hardly any supervisory experience before you gave her the job!

5. As he talked about his schooldays, it suddenly .......... where I had met him before.

6. The government now faces the .......... task of restructuring the entire health service.

7. Unemployment and inner city decay are .......... issues which must be tackled together.

8. I wrote a letter of complaint, and the airline have promised to .......... into the matter.

9. Such austerities were employed in an attempt to gain .......... into the fundamental nature of existence.

10. Members of the gym include lawyers, teachers, plumbers, and hairdressers - people from all (different) .......... of life.

1. there 2. calling 3. shot 4. depth 5. clicked 6. daunting 7. inseparable 8. look 9. insight 10. walks