Reading practice - working patterns
Read what Adela says about her working pattern. Here is some vocabulary to help you.
| a solas | alone, by oneself |
| cuidar | to look after, take care of |
| fijo | fixed |
| ganar | to earn |
| las horas de trabajo flexibles | flexitime |
| el sueldo | wage, salary |
| el teletrabajo | work(ing) from home |
| a solas |
| alone, by oneself |
| cuidar |
| to look after, take care of |
| fijo |
| fixed |
| ganar |
| to earn |
| las horas de trabajo flexibles |
| flexitime |
| el sueldo |
| wage, salary |
| el teletrabajo |
| work(ing) from home |
Como mujer viviendo a solas con un niño pequeño, el trabajo siempre ha sido un problema para mí.
Si trabajo a tiempo completo gasto la mayor parte de mi sueldo pagando a alguien para que cuide al niño. Si trabajo a tiempo parcial, es mejor, pero no ganas mucho y es mas difícil encontrar un empleo.
Tampoco puedo buscar un empleo con horas de trabajo flexibles, porque la persona que cuida al niño quiere trabajar horas fijas.
Pero ahora he encontrado la solución ideal - el teletrabajo. Solo necesito ir a la oficina por dos o tres horas cada semana y el resto del trabajo lo hago con el ordenador en casa. Además, puedo hacerlo por la tarde, cuando el pequeño está dormido.
Now answer these questions in English.
Question
Why has work always been a problem for Adela?
Because she lives on her own and has a small child.
Question
What does she say is the problem with full-time work?
She spends most of her salary paying someone to look after the child.
Question
What is the problem with part-time work? Mention two things.
- You don't earn a lot.
- It's more difficult to find a job.
Question
Why is flexitime not a solution?
Because the person who looks after her child wants to work fixed hours.
Question
What has she discovered is the ideal solution? Why? Give two reasons.
- The ideal solution is working from home. She only has to go into the office for two or three hours a week and the rest of the time she works from home.
- She can work in the evenings when her child is asleep.
Translation:
As a woman living on my own with a small child, work has always been a problem for me.
If I work full time, I spend most of my salary paying someone to look after my child. If I work part time, it's better, but you don't earn much and it's more difficult to find a job.
I can't look for a job with flexitime either, because the person who looks after my child wants to work fixed hours.
But now I've found the ideal solution - working from home. I only need to go to the office for two or three hours each week and I do the rest of the work on the computer at home. Besides, I can do it in the evening, when the little one's asleep.
