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Monica	Todd

Views #1079 | Intermediate (B2)

Bad Jobs

Monica and Todd talk about some of the bad jobs they have had before.

Script
Vocab
Quiz

Todd: OK, Monica, today we're going to be talking about jobs.

Monica: Oh, OK.

Todd: And first we're going to talk about worst jobs ever. Jobs that we had in the past that we hated, so I'll go first. The worst job I've ever had was actually working in construction. And I used to do construction with my father when I was young and I hated it.

It was always cold and windy and you were outside, and I just knew instantly that would never do construction. It just was not for me. Mainly because I hated working outside, especially when it was cold. When it was warm in the summer or spring it was good, but, ah, it was not good doing construction out in the cold.

Monica: OK, so it was only the cold you didn't like?

Todd: Well, mainly. Then, plus well, working for your dad.

Monica: It's not nice.

Todd: is always not the funnest thing, but yeah, it wasn't for me. How about you? What's a job that you hated growing up?

Monica: Well, I didn't really enjoy working on some orchards that I had to work on when I was young.

Todd: Yeah, you worked in an orchard?

Monica: Yeah, quite often I would work on an orchard during school holidays or during holidays while I was at varsity, and some of the jobs were OK, but some involved getting up very, very early, and I didn't like that. Getting up at maybe five o'clock in the morning, and getting in my car and then going out to the orchard and then having to pick apples for maybe four or five hours. It could be very tedious and boring.

Todd: Yeah, I bet, I bet.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

not for me

Construction was not for me.

When something is not for you, that means you do not like it. We only use this phrase in the negative. For example you can say, "jazz music is not for me", but not the opposite. Here are some more examples using "not for me".

Raw fish is just not for me.
My wife likes the ballet, but it is not for me.

not the funnest thing

Working for your dad is not the funnest thing.

Here the phrase "not the funnest thing" expresses how something is not enjoyable. It is a softer way of saying you do not like doing something. Here are a few more examples:

Studying English is not the funnest thing to do for some students.
Cleaning is not the funnest way to spend a Saturday.

grow up

What is a job you hated growing up?

The verb phrase "to grow up" refers to a time a person has from childhood to adulthood. People become "grown up" when they get about 20 years old. Growing up also often refers to one's teen years. Notice the following:

I liked growing up in the countryside.
It can be awkward growing up in a house full of adults.

work on

I had to work on an orchard.

We work "on" an open place outside. We work "in" or "inside" a building. So you work "on" a farm, but you work "in" a factory. Notice the following:

He works on a farm.
I hope to work on a oil rig.

I bet

Yeah, I bet, I bet.

When you "bet" on something, you expect it to happen. You think it is more likely to happen than not. It is similar to "I think". When people gamble on sports, they bet on who is going to win. Here are a few examples: