Номер 5, страница 9 - гдз по английскому языку 11 класс учебник Вербицкая, Каминс Карр

Unit one.

Track four.

Host: Right. Let's move on. Our next question is from Joanna Dumbley, a university student from Southampton. Her question is: why do women keep trying to do men's jobs? Aren't there enough jobs they can do already? Janet, you start this time. What's your view on this subject?

Janet: Well, you know what I'm going to say, don't you? It's a ridiculous question. I mean, so many jobs were excluded to women for so long, like engineering and science. Girls just weren't encouraged to follow careers in these fields until the feminist movement in the sixties made them realize they could do just as well, if not better than most men in these jobs.

Marion: Spot on. You're absolutely right, Janet. And it's not just in the professions either. The other day I needed a plumbing job done at home. The sink in the kitchen was blocked. I called the plumbers I usually use and was a bit surprised when a woman arrived. But I've never been so impressed in my life. She arrived on time, cleaned up afterwards, charged me a reasonable fee, and we had a cup of coffee and nice chat while she was working. Not like most male plumbers I've had to deal with in the past.

Alan: Well, I don't entirely agree with that, Marion. Isn't that a bit unfair to say all men are bad workers? They might not be that brilliant at cleaning up afterwards, but most of them do a good job. And more to the point, how many women really want to spend their lives lying under a sink?

Janet: Oh, come on, Alan, that's rubbish. It's just good old-fashioned prejudice. It's because we're not used to having female plumbers or electricians or carpenters. But they're all jobs women can do equally as well, and in fact, are doing more and more nowadays.

Alan: I hear what you're saying, Janet, but that's not the point. What I'm saying is that women could do those jobs, but do they really want to?

Janet: Okay, that's a valid point. But I think they're crazy if they don't. They're not used to it, I know, but they'd get paid a lot more than filling shelves in a supermarket or working on a boring conveyor belt in a factory.

Marion: Yes, that's exactly what I think. Alice, the plumber I told you about, said she used to work in a department store. And she had to stand on her feet all day long for a miserable wage. Now she's earning four or five times more than before. And she can work as much or as little as she likes. She's got much more freedom to do what she wants with her life. Surely no woman would say no to that.

Alan: Well, whatever you say, I'm not totally convinced. I still think that most women have enough to deal with as it is, looking after their homes and families. The last thing they need is to learn how to do their husbands' jobs.

Host: Thank you all. I can see that you all feel very strongly about this issue. Could I just say a couple of things in support of Alan's point? You see, historically, men.