M:Oh,yeah,wehadtospendthewholetimeinside.Goodthing,theweatherwascooperativethistime.
Whatdowelearnaboutthespeakersfromtheconversation?
M:WhenIsayIliveinSweden,peoplealwayswanttoknowabouttheseasons.
M:Yeah,youknowhowcolditisinwinter?Whatisitlikewhenthedaysaresoshort?
M:Well,itiscold,verycoldinwinter.Sometimesitiscoldas26degreesbelowcentigrade.Andofcoursewhenyougoout,you’llwrapupwarm.Butinsideinthehousesit’salwaysverywarm,muchwarmerthanathome.SwedishpeoplealwayscomplainthatwhentheyvisitEngland,thehousesarecoldeveninthegoodwinter.
W:Andwhataboutthedarkness?
M:Well,yeah,aroundChristmastimethere’sonlyonehourofdaylight,soyoureallylooksforwardtothespring.Itissometimesabitdepressing.Butyouseethesummersareamazing,fromMaytoJulyintheNorthofSwedenthesunneversets.It’sstilllightinthemidnight.Youcanwalkinthemountainsandreadanewspaper.
W:Oh,yeah,thelandofthemidnightsun.
M:Yeah,that’sright,butit’swonderful.Youwon’tstayupallnight.AndtheSwedesmakesmostofitoftentheystartedworkearlierinsummerandthenleaveatabout2or3intheafternoon,sothattheycanreallyenjoythelongsummerevenings.They’dliketoworkhard,butplayhard,too.IthinkLondonersworklongerhours,butI’mnotsurethisisagoodthing.
Q19:Whatdowelearnaboutthemanfromtheconversation?
Q20:WhatdoSwedishpeoplecomplainaboutwhentheyvisitEnglandinwinter?
Q21:HowdoesthemandescribetheshorthourofdaylightaroundChristmasinSweden?
Q21:WhatdoesthemansayabouttheSwedishpeople?
W:Whatkindoftrainingdoesoneneedtogointothistypeofjob?
M:That’saverygoodquestion.Idon’tthinkthereisany,specifically.
W:Forexample,inyourcase,whatwasyoureducationalbackground?
M:Well,IdidadegreeinFrenchatNottingham.Afterthat,Ididcareersworkinsecondaryschoolslikethecareersguidancepeople.Hereisintheuniversity.ThenIwentintolocalgovernmentbecauseIfoundIwasmoreinterestedintheadministrativeside.Thenprogressedontouniversities.Sotherewasn’tanyplanandtherewasnospecifictraining.Thereareplentyoftrainingcoursesinmanagementtechniquesandcommitteeworkwhichyoucanattendnow.
W:Butinthefirstplace,youdidaFrenchdegree.
M:Inmytime,therewasn’tadegreeyoucoulddoforadministration.IthinkmostoftheadministratorsI’vecomeacrosshavedegreesandallsortsofthings.
W:Well,Iknowinmycase,IdidanEnglishliteraturedegreeandIdidn’treallyexpecttoendupdoingwhatIamdoingnow.
W:ButyouarelocaltoNottingham,actually?IsthereanyreasonwhyyouwenttoNottinghamUniversity?
M:No,no,IcomefromthenorthofEngland,fromwestYorkshire.NottinghamwasoneoftheuniversitiesIputonmylist.AndIlikethelookofit.Thecampusisjustbeautiful.
W:Yes,indeed.Let’ssee.WereyoufromtheindustrialpartofYorkshire?
M:Yes,fromtheWoolenDistrict.
Q23.Whatwastheman’smajoratuniversity?
Q24:Whatwastheman’sjobinsecondaryschools?
Q25:WhatattractedthemantoNottinghamUniversity?