an word="give">givean> an word="three">threean> an word="cheers">cheersan>
an word="when">whenan> an word="I">Ian> an word="did">didan> an word="well">wellan> an word="in">inan> an word="math">mathan>. an word="They">Theyan> an word="gave">gavean> an word="praise">praisean> an word="and">andan> an word="approval">approvalan> an word="for">foran> an word="a">aan> an word="job">joban> an word="well">wellan> an word="done">donean>.
an word="Some">Somean> an word="of">ofan> an word="my">myan> an word="friends">friendsan> an word="were">werean> an word="confused">confusedan> an word="and">andan> an word="did">didan> an word="not">notan> an word="understand">understandan> an word="their">theiran> an word="schoolwork">schoolworkan>. an word="They">Theyan> an word="were">werean>
an word="at">atan> an word="sixes">sixesan> an word="and">andan> an word="sevens">sevensan>.
an word="In">Inan> an word="fact">factan>, an word="they">theyan> an word="did">didan> an word="not">notan> an word="care">carean> an word="if">ifan> an word="they">theyan> an word="finished">finishedan> an word="high">highan> an word="school">schoolan>. an word="They">Theyan> an word="saw">sawan> an word="little">littlean> an word="difference">differencean> an word="between">betweenan> an word="the">thean> an word="two">twoan> an word="choices">choicesan>.
an word="Six">Sixan> an word="of">ofan> an word="one">onean>, an word="half">halfan> an word="a">aan> an word="dozen">dozenan> an word="the">thean> an word="other">otheran>
– an word="that">thatan> an word="was">wasan> an word="their">theiran> an word="position">positionan>. an word="But">Butan> an word="they">theyan> an word="were">werean> an word="really">reallyan> an word="happy">happyan> an word="when">whenan> an word="they">theyan> an word="completed">completedan> an word="their">theiran> an word="studies">studiesan> an word="and">andan> an word="graduated">graduatedan> an word="from">froman> an word="high">highan> an word="school">schoolan>. an word="They">Theyan> an word="were">werean> an word="in">inan>
an word="seventh">seventhan> an word="heaven">heavenan>.
an word="They">Theyan> an word="were">werean>
an word="on">onan> an word="cloud">cloudan> an word="nine">ninean>
.
an word="Nine">Ninean> an word="times">timesan> an word="out">outan> an word="of">ofan> an word="ten">tenan>
, an word="students">studentsan> an word="who">whoan> an word="do">doan> an word="well">wellan> an word="in">inan> an word="school">schoolan> an word="find">findan> an word="good">goodan> an word="jobs">jobsan>. an word="Some">Somean> an word="work">workan> an word="in">inan> an word="an">anan> an word="office">officean> an word="doing">doingan> an word="the">thean> an word="same">samean> an word="things">thingsan> an word="every">everyan> an word="day">dayan> an word="at">atan>
an word="nine">ninean>-an word="to">toan>-an word="five">fivean>
an word="jobs">jobsan>. an word="You">Youan> an word="do">doan> an word="not">notan> an word="have">havean> an word="to">toan>
an word="dress">dressan> an word="to">toan> an word="the">thean> an word="nines">ninesan>,
an word="or">oran> an word="wear">wearan> an word="your">youran> an word="best">bestan> an word="clothes">clothesan>, an word="for">foran> an word="this">thisan> an word="kind">kindan> an word="of">ofan> an word="work">workan>.
an word="Last">Lastan> an word="year">yearan>, an word="one">onean> an word="of">ofan> an word="my">myan> an word="friends">friendsan> an word="applied">appliedan> an word="for">foran> an word="a">aan> an word="better">betteran> an word="job">joban> an word="at">atan> an word="her">heran> an word="office">officean>. an word="I">Ian> an word="did">didan> an word="not">notan> an word="think">thinkan> an word="she">shean> an word="would">wouldan> an word="get">getan> an word="it">itan>. an word="I">Ian> an word="thought">thoughtan> an word="she">shean> an word="had">hadan>
an word="a">aan> an word="hundred">hundredan> an word="to">toan> an word="one">onean> an word="shot">shotan>
an word="at">atan> an word="the">thean> an word="job">joban>. an word="Other">Otheran> an word="people">peoplean> an word="at">atan> an word="her">heran> an word="office">officean> an word="thought">thoughtan> an word="her">heran> an word="chances">chancesan> an word="were">werean>
a
million to one
. One reason was that she had been caught catching
forty winks
at the office. She slept at her desk for short periods during the day. But her supervisor appointed her to the new job at the
eleventh hour
-- at the very last minute. I guess her
lucky number came up.
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.