
Read this email from Samantha about her first day in work and answer the questions:
Hey Jo,
Thanks for your email. I'm glad to hear that you are well. I started my new job yesterday and I can't wait to tell you all about it. I never thought my first day as a personal assistant would be so thrilling!
I didn't get off to the best start by almost arriving late on my first day. Because the my new office is in the city it's easier for me to take the train than to drive. Unfortunately for me, my train arrived late and I had to dash to the office, I arrived with only minutes to spare. Arriving late on my first day would have been tragic. My office is hectic with people running around everywhere. I was introduced to all the staff. They all seem nice, but it's going to be difficult for me to learn all of their names.
I was apprehensive about meeting my boss, Mr.Sanders, because people say that he can be quite intimidating. I can see why: he looks so important and he's always frowning. Judging from his expensive suit he must be very well off. After a quick introduction it was straight down to work. The first thing he had me do was make him a coffee...not very glamourous, is it? I almost spilt it on his suit while I was giving to him! The rest of the morning was spent answering his calls and arranging meetings for him. He certainly is a busy man.
Saying that, I was too busy to go out for lunch so I ate at my desk. Just as I was putting the last bit of my cheese sandwich in my mouth Harry Silk walked into the office! Can you believe it, the famous TV soap star is one of Mr. Sanders' clients! I was so embarrassed that he saw me stuffing my face. He didn't seem to mind, in fact, he found my embarrassment quite amusing. He was kind enough to have a picture taken with me.
It turns out that my boss has lots of famous clients? I wonder who will be in tomorrow? I'll let you know!
Write to me soon.
Take care,
Samantha
Link: Reading for information practice
- thrilling means:













Comments
Misprints
In the beginning of the letter I found "I'm glad to heat...". It sounds amusing. It is easy to guess that here should be "I'm glad to hear...".
"quiet intimidating" - should be replaced by "quite intimidating". This misprint is funny as well. So the boss was quiet, but very intimidating!
Among the questions I found "frowming". It should be replaced by "frowning".
I could not complete the tasks of this lesson without mistakes. There were two of them. I was very displeased! But I hope one of these days I will be able to speak (and read and write) English fluently and freely.
Chris, thanks for the good lesson!
You are really helping us to improve our English!
Grivna
I always seem to thanking you for your help!...Thanks!Chris.
A few errors
I have read this article. I am not quite sure but I believe that there are still a few grammatical errors in the text.
1. I started to my new job yesterday - “to" should be omitted.
2. Because the my new office is in the city - "the" is redundant.
3. My office is hectic with people running around everywhere. I was...-" is" should be changed into past tense form .
4. The first thing he had me do was make him a coffee - had me do? I am not certain whether it should be "had me done".
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Every witch has her own crystal ball.
Hi Zishuli,
It seems to me that the sentence "My office is hectic with people running around everywhere" is right, because it is describing the usual state of the office (not the current state for ONLY that day). The same example is "My boss is a busy man".
I am not sure about the other remarks of yours. Let us wait for Chris' answer. I am eager to learn the right answer.
And why did you choose this motto with the witches?
It sounds very mysteriously...
Zishuli
You are right about not needing 'to my new job'.
However, 'is hectic' shows a fixed state (as Grivna points correctly out): the office is always hectic.
'Had me' means 'made me'- she had no choice, it was an order.
Thanks for paying such close attention. Chris.
Hi Chris
Chris,
First of all, I want to say sorry for my stubbornness. I am always argumentative ^_^ and I do believe I can learn from arguments. I mean, I have never really meant to offend anyone, even if I do have offended...
Any way, thank you for the explanation. I think all of us would like the forum to be more interactive.
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Every witch has her own crystal ball.
Hi Shu
No offence taken. I happy you're taking an active role in the site. I couldn't agree more about the forum. I want it to be huge! I checked out your blog...very nice.
Chris
Hi Grivna
I understand what you mean and I did have tried to persuade myself that the sentence is indicating a usual situation in the office( though" hectic with people running around everywhere" sounds a bit exagerrated).
However, I couldn't agree that a person who has just started her new job for only one day( yesterday was her first day at the office), should use this definite form to describe a "usual state" of her office.
I know I might be a bit captious, I don't want to be a faultfinder either. But that's the way I am when I am learning. I hope it won't be offending.
About the motto...^_^ I can't help imagining the computer as a crystal ball. Everytime when I sit in front of it, I feel the whole world or even the universe spreads out before me.
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Every witch has her own crystal ball.
very good
OMAR
Very useful vocabulary
Very useful vocabulary. I didn't know 3 words. Thank you.
e-mail
I guessed all words. The most interesting was to read replies. I picked up a lot of information and new words. Thank you all.