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Read what Adela says about her working pattern. Here is some vocabulary to help you:
| cuidar | to look after, take care of |
| fijo | fixed |
| ganar | to earn |
| las horas de trabajo flexibles | flexitime |
| el sueldo | wage, salary |
| una guardería | nursery |
| un/una canguro | babysitter |
| cuidar |
| to look after, take care of |
| fijo |
| fixed |
| ganar |
| to earn |
| las horas de trabajo flexibles |
| flexitime |
| el sueldo |
| wage, salary |
| una guardería |
| nursery |
| un/una canguro |
| babysitter |
Encontrar un buen trabajo cuando vives sola y tienes un niño pequeño es bastante difícil.
Si trabajo a tiempo completo, tengo que gastar la mayor parte de mi sueldo en una guardería o en una canguro para que cuiden al niño. Si trabajo a tiempo parcial, no gano mucho y es más 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 – trabajar desde casa. Sólo necesito ir a la oficina dos o tres horas cada semana y el resto del trabajo lo hago con el ordenador desde casa. Además, puedo hacerlo por la noche, cuando el pequeño está dormido, y cuidar al niño el resto del día.
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 has to spend most of her salary paying a nursery or a babysitter 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 to be the ideal solution?
The ideal solution is working from home.
Question
Why? Give two reasons.
- 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, and take care of him during the day.
Translation:
Finding a good job when you live on your own and have a small child is quite difficult.
If I work full time, I spend most of my salary in a nursery or paying a babysitter to look after my child. If I work part time, I 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 the 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 from home. Besides, I can do it in the evening, when the little one's asleep, and take care of him during the day.
