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500-year-old paintings from Raphael found – B1 English listening test - Test-English

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Listening comprehension test for intermediate students (CEFR B1). Watch a video about art and history and choose the correct answers.

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The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so the date of Lunar New Year is different each year. In China and in many other places, like Vietnam, Singapore and Korea, Lunar New Year is usually celebrated in January or February, and it's a very important festival.

Lunar New Year animals

Each year is named after one of 12 animals. There is a traditional story about how the animals were chosen. The Jade Emperor - an important god in traditional Chinese religions - wanted to find a way to measure time. He decided to have a race for all the animals in the country. Only 12 animals actually managed to get to the race, and the Emperor rewarded them by naming the 12 years of the lunar calendar after them. The first to finish was the rat, so the first year is the Year of the Rat. The other eleven, in order, were the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. In many countries, the animals are the same as these, but in some places they are a bit different.

A family celebration

Different places celebrate in slightly different ways, but Lunar New Year is very much a family celebration everywhere. The younger generation greet their parents and grandparents with good wishes for the year ahead and show their respect for the older generation. In Korea this is called Sebae. The young people kneel on the ground and bow deeply.

Older members of the family give younger ones gifts of money, traditionally in small packets. Red packets are used in China and Vietnam, as red is a lucky colour. Nowadays, many people send money electronically too. It is lucky to send money in certain amounts, for example using the number eight, which in Chinese sounds like the word 'prosper'.

Traditional food

Traditional foods which are eaten at Lunar New Year often have a special meaning. For example, in China, many people eat fish dishes because the Chinese word for 'fish' sounds similar to 'surplus', meaning you will have more than enough of everything you need.

In Korea, people have a special soup. Thin pieces of rice cake are boiled in a clear soup with slices of beef and vegetables. The rice cake pieces are round and may represent coins and money.

A traditional Vietnamese food is a square rice cake wrapped in leaves. It's stuffed with pork and vegetables and takes many hours to prepare, so many people buy the cake instead of making it.

Other traditions

There are many other Lunar New Year traditions. For example, in Vietnam, people believe that the first person to enter their home in the New Year will decide their fortune for the year ahead. They are careful to invite someone who is kind, well behaved and successful.

In Korea, families often play traditional board games together, such as Yunnori. In this game, teams take turns throwing four specially shaped sticks into the air. They move around the board depending on how the sticks fall.

In China, many people have firecrackers, which burn and make a loud bang. They watch street performances, where acrobatic dancers dress up as a lion or a dragon. They dance, accompanied by music and drums.

People celebrate Lunar New Year in many different ways, but all the celebrations are about wishing everyone luck, happiness and prosperity for the year ahead. Happy Lunar New Year!

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The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so the date of Lunar New Year is different each year. In China and in many other places, like Vietnam, Singapore and Korea, Lunar New Year is usually celebrated in January or February, and it's a very important festival.

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What if a photo showed how beautiful you were on the inside? Read what happens when people download a new app called TrueBeauty.

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article is about being good on the inside makes you look good on the outside . Not just posing for the picture but living your life in a beautiful real way

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Explanations > Behaviors > Lying > Four Colors of Lies

There are four types of lie that can be characterized by naming them with four colors: Gray, White, Black and Red.

Two dimensions

To get the four colors we need to create two dimensions which are each subdivided into two categories. These are about who is affected by the lie.

How it affects me

The forces of evolution naturally push us towards self-preservation, especially when we feel threatened. When basic needs seem at risk we hence become inclined to lie in order to protect ourselves.

We also lie to get less basic needs, for example to fulfil our personal or received goals. Lying always causes values conflict and selfish lies cause even greater dissonance. This hence tends to reduce self as a primary reason for lying (or at least in terms of personal justification).

How it affects others

What we say often has an effect on others, especially when we are directly communicating with them. Lies may help or harm others and the thought of this impacts how or whether we lie.

The decision to lie to others is particularly affected by social values which at least say we should do no harm. As a result, decisions to lie can be a complex balance of who is affected and by how much.

Four lies

The four types of lie can be illustrated by the matrix below.

White lie

In this model, white lies are altruistic as we seek first to help others, even at some cost to ourselves.

In practice, there are shades of white and what we tell ourselves are white lies are often tending more towards gray than pure white.

Even when we lose out significantly, there is arguably always some benefit, for example in the way we feel good about our actions and how others praise or thank us for our selflessness.

Gray lie

Most of the lies we tell are gray lies. They are partly to help others and partly to help ourselves. They may vary in the shade of gray, depending on the balance of help and harm.

Gray lies are, almost by definition, hard to clarify. For example you can lie to help a friend out of trouble but then gain the reciprocal benefit of them lying for you while those they have harmed in some way lose out.

Black lie

Black lies are about simple and callous selfishness. We tell black lies when others gain nothing and the sole purpose is either to get ourselves out of trouble (reducing harm against ourselves) or to gain something we desire (increasing benefits for ourselves).

The worst black lies are very harmful for others. Perhaps the very worst gain us a little yet harm others a great deal.

Red lie

Red lies are about spite and revenge. They are driven by the motive to harm others even at the expense of harming oneself. They may even be carved in blood.

When we are angry at others, perhaps because of a long feud or where we feel they have wronged us in some way, we feel a sense of betrayal and so seek retributive justice, which we may dispense without thought of consequence.

Seek to understand lies and the motivation beneath them. Then respond to the lies in ways that help people tell the truth or otherwise further your aims.

When lying yourself, question your own motives. It is easy to think you are telling white lies when actually they are a certain shade of gray.

See also

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Explanations > Behaviors > Lying > Four Colors of Lies There are four types of lie that can be characterized by naming them with four colors: Gray, White, Black and Red. To get the four colors we need to create two dimensions which are each subdivided into two categories.

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When trying to obtain the truth from a dishonest employee, a suspect involved in another type of criminal investigation, or even a member of your family, we typically see five types of lies. These lies include:

Lies of Denial. This type of lie will involve an untruthful person (or a truthful person) simply saying that they were not involved.

Lies of Omission. A lie of omission is often referred to as the "lie of choice," as the person using this method can blame the interviewer for not asking the right question.

Lies of Fabrication. Fabrication is typically the most difficult type of lie for an individual to tell; the dishonest person needs to make up their "facts" as they are telling them, which of course makes it harder to remember later.

Lies of Minimization. Minimization involves attempts to distort the truth by making statements like "It was an accident" or "It was already damaged, though" in an attempt to minimize what they've done.

Lies of Exaggeration. This type of lie is similar to the lie of minimization in that there is a distortion of the truth; however, the subject will overstate what happened. For example, they might say something like, "Yeah, I am responsible for all the losses here."

It's always important to be aware of all five types of lies when interviewing a dishonest associate, another type of criminal-and yes, even someone in your family.

Every loss prevention investigator should continuously strive to enhance their investigative interviewing skills as part of an ongoing commitment to best-in-class interviewing performance. This includes holding ourselves to an elite standard of interview and interrogation training that is ethical, moral and legal while demanding excellence in the pursuit of the truth. The International Association of Interviewers (IAI) and Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ) provide interview and interrogation training programs and additional guidance to investigators when dealing with dishonest employees, employee theft, sexual harassment, policy violations, building rapport, pre-employment interviewing, lying, denials and obtaining a statement.

By focusing on the latest information and research from experts in the field as well as academic, legal and psychological resources, these video tips provide interview and interrogation training techniques that can enhance the skill sets of professionals with backgrounds in law enforcement, loss prevention, security, asset protection, human resources, auditors or anyone looking to obtain the truth.

To learn more about interview and interrogation training and how you can further develop your professional skill sets, please visit www.w-z.com or www.certifiedinterviewer.com for additional information.
This article was originally published in 2015 and was updated September 3, 2018.

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Interview and Interrogation Training: The Five Types of Lies

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When trying to obtain the truth from a dishonest employee, a suspect involved in another type of criminal investigation, or even a member of your family, we typically see five types of lies. These lies include: Lies of Denial. This type of lie will involve an untruthful person (or a truthful person) simply saying that they were not involved.

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1) | Why do people lie?
(2) | Is it OK to tell lies?
(3) | How often do you lie?
(4) | What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told?
(5) | Children who are good liars often grow up to be very intelligent. Were you a good liar when you were a child?
(6) | Have you ever lied in a job interview?
(7) | Have you told any lies today?
(8) | Who lies more, men or women?
(9) | Has a lie someone told you ever hurt you?
(10) | What do you think of liars?

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Should friends be honest with each other all the time?
Do you think there are times when it is suitable to tell a white lie?

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The Fox and The Stork - Aesop's fables - Liz Story Planet

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The Fox and The Stork - Aesop’s fables - Liz Story Planet

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The Fox and The Stork, one of the popular stories to help kids to stop making fun of others’ limitations and accept others

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SpeedFlatmating (Accommodation) – B1 English reading test – Test-English

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B1 Reading Test

Read a text about accomodation, and for questions 1 to 10, choose true or false.

SpeedFlatmating

When you are looking for rental accommodation in a shared house, you have to think not only about the location and your budget, but also about who you are sharing with, as your housemates can make the difference between a successful or an unhappy house-share.

SpeedFlatmating is a perfect way to find the ideal house or flatmate. SpeedFlatmating events, which are organised by the website speedflatmating.co.uk, are mainly held in London. However, some events are held in other British towns and cities. They typically take place in a bar or pub. At these events, people looking for accommodation can meet people with available rooms, or other people on the lookout for accommodation who they can rent a place with.

On arrival at a SpeedFlatmating event, guests are given a sticker to wear. White stickers indicate that you have an available room. Pink stickers are for people who are looking for a room. On white stickers, people write their name, the rental cost of the room and its nearest tube station. On pink stickers, people write their name, their budget and the area where they want to live.

The website organises about 17 events per month in London. Their larger events cover the whole of central London and are geared towards people who are flexible about where they want to live. They also run local events for people who already know where they want to live.

Users enjoy SpeedFlatmating for various reasons. Firstly, it cuts out the long, boring process of advertising and showing people around a flat. Also, potential flatmates can get to meet each other in a relaxed, social setting and find out whether they would be a good match for a flatshare or not. As well as meeting potential flatmates, many people say they enjoy the friendly atmosphere and make new friends at the events.

A huge number of people have benefitted from SpeedFlatmating. Paul from London says, 'I had been having problems finding a place to live in London because I'm in my forties. Most people sharing accommodation in London are in their twenties and thirties, and I didn't really fit in. I went to a SpeedFlatmating event and met three other people in the same situation as me, so we decided to get together and rent a place. Within a week, we had found a place within our budget.'

Melissa says, 'I was just starting to think about moving out of my parents' home, and SpeedFlatmating seemed like a good way to find out more. I was quite nervous about attending the event on my own, but when I got there, I realised that everyone else was nervous too, and so I was able to relax, enjoy myself and meet people. I met a landlord there who was looking for tenants, and I arranged to have a look round his house. I'm moving in next week! It was as simple as that!'

Reading comprehension test

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SpeedFlatmating (Accommodation) - B1 English reading test - Test-English

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English B1 reading comprehension test for intermediate students (CEFR B1). Read a text about accommodation and answer the questions.

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Handling customer complaints - Business English Lesson (lingua.com)

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The greatest business professional in the world, employed at a fantastic company and completely focused on performing his or her work-related tasks, will undoubtedly be faced with dissatisfied and potentially angry customers at some point; these customers will speak of complaints that they believe to be entirely valid and pressing.

Because, as seasoned financial experts can attest to, even if one does everything correctly in business, unforeseen dilemmas will appear; that's simply the nature of the industry.

It must be emphasized that how a business specialist reacts to these issues will define his or her reputation, as well as that of his or her company. Furthermore, responding to customer complaints, or specific issues voiced by clients with regard to a transaction, can be demanding, exhausting, and aggravating, but it's once again imperative that the process be completed to the highest possible degree of quality.

Typically, customer complaints are addressed over the phone, as the communication form is a favorite of business experts, given its personal and direct general nature. To understand how a customer complaint should be addressed, consider the following example:

Customer support: Hello, this is Todd Jasper with LDT Appliances. How can I help you? Mrs. Davis: Hi Todd, it's Patty Davis. I just received my order and I'm not at all satisfied.

Customer support: I'm sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem? Mrs. Davis: What seems to be the problem? I don't know where to begin! The item's back casing is cracked, I'm missing the extra nob I requested, and the unit isn't pre-assembled!

Customer support: I'm sorry to hear that as well. I'm confident that we can make this right.

Mrs. Davis: You'd better, or else I'll have to take my business elsewhere! Customer support: I understand, mam. Here's what I'm going to do: since it would take too long to ship a replacement item, given your schedule constraints, I'm going to send one of our professionals over with the appropriate nob and some new casing, and he's going to assemble the unit and get it set up for you right away. Does that sound good?

Mrs. Davis: Yeah, I guess that sounds okay. When's he coming? I've got a lot to do today.

Customer support: What time works for you?

Mrs. Davis: Noon would be convenient.

Customer support: Great, he's free at noon and will arrive then. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Mrs. Davis: No, no. Thank you for your help. And I'm sorry I got a little bit angry-I just really need to get my order set up and ready to go.

Customer support: It's not a problem, Mrs. Davis. I should mention that we value your business here at LDT Appliances, and if you need anything else at all, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Mrs. Davis: I won't. Thanks again.

As was noted, customers are likely to be angry, annoyed, and frustrated when reporting a complaint; clients often believe that unexpected order dilemmas solely affect them. Thus, it's not difficult to see why they become agitated; from their perspective, order issues are personal slights. If a support professional is calm and focused, however, he or she should resolve the issue quickly, and in a way that enhances the chances of a long and healthy business relationship being enjoyed.

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The greatest business professional in the world, employed at a fantastic company and completely focused on performing his or her work-related tasks, will undoubtedly be faced with dissatisfied and potentially angry customers at some point; these customers will speak of complaints that they believe to be entirely valid and pressing.

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Imi FehérCustomer service problem solving

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Imi FehérCustomer service problem solving

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Customer service: problem solving - Business English Lesson (lingua.com)

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Customer service: problem solving - Business English Lesson

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Informing a Customer that an Ordered Item Isn’t Available

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'wish' and 'if only' | LearnEnglish (britishcouncil.org)

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Look at these examples to see how wish and if only are used.

That guy is so annoying! I wish he'd stop talking.
I wish I lived closer to my family.
If only I hadn't lost her phone number. She must think I'm so rude for not calling her.
I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit stronger than wish.

In the present

We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we would like to be different.

I wish you didn't live so far away.
If only we knew what to do.
He wishes he could afford a holiday.

In the past

We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we would like to change about the past.

They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very sick now.
If only I'd studied harder when I was at school.

Expressing annoyance

We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with what someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel that they are unlikely or unwilling to change.

I wish you wouldn't borrow my clothes without asking.
I wish it would rain. The garden really needs some water.
She wishes he'd work less. They never spend any time together.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Language level

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Look at these examples to see how wish and if only are used. That guy is so annoying! I wish he'd stop talking. I wish I lived closer to my family. If only I hadn't lost her phone number. She must think I'm so rude for not calling her.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads Course

A2 Reading Test

Read a text about how Sarah's life was in the past and how it is now. For questions 1 to 8, choose the correct answer.

How my life has changed

I used to work on cruise ships as a musician. I travelled a lot! I spent the month before the first lockdown in four continents! I used to get up really early, drive to the airport and fly to a port across the world and get on a ship just to get to work! Then I used to spend between three and fourteen days on the ship. The ships were great. The food was excellent, and the staff were brilliant. The ship stopped at fantastic places, and I often used to spend the afternoon at the beach drinking cocktails or sightseeing. But there were disadvantages too. I often didn't know anyone on the ship. But the passengers all knew me, and they used to talk to me every time I left my cabin. I didn't have any privacy. Of course, I had to chat to them politely even when I wasn't in the mood.

But now, everything has changed. The cruises aren't running now, and I don't know when they will run again, and I've been in my flat for a year. I never used to spend much time here, and I haven't spent a whole year in England for over twenty years! But I've enjoyed it. I bought a bike last year, and I've found some great beach cafes that I never used to know about. I also bought a campervan, and I drove around the coast. I always used to prefer beaches in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean to British beaches. The weather is much better for a start! But I found some beautiful places last year. I could park on the beach in some places and run straight into the sea! They were much less touristy and more peaceful than the places where the cruise ships go.

I'm spending a lot more time alone now. I didn't use to be alone much when I was working. But since the pandemic started, I have developed new relationships with people who I didn't use to know very well. I always used to prefer the company of entertainers and people who like to travel. I used to think that people with normal jobs were boring. But since last year, I've got to know some really interesting, strong, kind and caring people! So that's been really valuable.

Reading comprehension test

Explanation

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How my life has changed - A2 English reading test - Test-English

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Reading comprehension test about life changes for pre-intermediate students (CEFR A2 level). Read the text and answer the questions.

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Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better

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This Safety Manager job description template is optimized for posting on online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your company.

Safety Manager responsibilities include:

Developing and executing health and safety plans in the workplace according to legal guidelines

Preparing and enforcing policies to establish a culture of health and safety

Evaluating practices, procedures and facilities to assess risk and adherence to the law

Job brief

We are looking for a reliable Safety Manager to ensure everyone in the company complies with health and safety laws. You will also be responsible for establishing policies that will create and maintain a safe workplace.

As a safety manager you must have excellent attention to detail to identify hazards. You will also be able to discover opportunities for improving conditions and execute various safety programs. The ability to communicate guidelines to a multidisciplinary workforce is essential.

The goal is to ensure the workplace meets all legal expectations and actively supports occupational health and safety.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute health and safety plans in the workplace according to legal guidelines

Prepare and enforce policies to establish a culture of health and safety

Evaluate practices, procedures and facilities to assess risk and adherence to the law

Conduct training and presentations for health and safety matters and accident prevention

Monitor compliance to policies and laws by inspecting employees and operations

Inspect equipment and machinery to observe possible unsafe conditions

Investigate accidents or incidents to discover causes and handle worker's compensation claims

Recommend solutions to issues, improvement opportunities or new prevention measures

Report on health and safety awareness, issues and statistics

Requirements and skills

Proven experience as safety manager

Deep understanding of legal health and safety guidelines

Ability in producing reports and developing relevant policies

Good knowledge of data analysis and risk assessment

Excellent organizational and motivational skills

Outstanding attention to detail and observation ability

Exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities

BSc/BA in safety management or relevant field is preferred

Valid qualification in occupational health and safety

Hiring Safety Manager job description

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This Safety Manager job description template is optimized for posting on online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your company.

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Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better

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This Safety Manager job description template is optimized for posting on online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your company.

Safety Manager responsibilities include:

Developing and executing health and safety plans in the workplace according to legal guidelines

Preparing and enforcing policies to establish a culture of health and safety

Evaluating practices, procedures and facilities to assess risk and adherence to the law

Job brief

We are looking for a reliable Safety Manager to ensure everyone in the company complies with health and safety laws. You will also be responsible for establishing policies that will create and maintain a safe workplace.

As a safety manager you must have excellent attention to detail to identify hazards. You will also be able to discover opportunities for improving conditions and execute various safety programs. The ability to communicate guidelines to a multidisciplinary workforce is essential.

The goal is to ensure the workplace meets all legal expectations and actively supports occupational health and safety.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute health and safety plans in the workplace according to legal guidelines

Prepare and enforce policies to establish a culture of health and safety

Evaluate practices, procedures and facilities to assess risk and adherence to the law

Conduct training and presentations for health and safety matters and accident prevention

Monitor compliance to policies and laws by inspecting employees and operations

Inspect equipment and machinery to observe possible unsafe conditions

Investigate accidents or incidents to discover causes and handle worker's compensation claims

Recommend solutions to issues, improvement opportunities or new prevention measures

Report on health and safety awareness, issues and statistics

Requirements and skills

Proven experience as safety manager

Deep understanding of legal health and safety guidelines

Ability in producing reports and developing relevant policies

Good knowledge of data analysis and risk assessment

Excellent organizational and motivational skills

Outstanding attention to detail and observation ability

Exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities

BSc/BA in safety management or relevant field is preferred

Valid qualification in occupational health and safety

Hiring Safety Manager job description

Post this Safety Manager job description job ad to 18+ free job boards with one submission

Start a free Workable trial and post your ad on the most popular job boards today.

Related Job Descriptions

Related Interview Questions

Related Topics

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This Safety Manager job description template is optimized for posting on online job boards or careers pages and easy to customize for your company.

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That can make people really sick with things like vomiting and diarrhoea, and around one and a half million people, mostly kids, die every year because of it. But a lack of toilets isn't the only problem. Many also don't have soap or clean water to wash their hands with, and others haven't been taught why using a toilet is so important.

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English Grammar Exercise - Future Perfect - Positive|Fill in the verbs in brackets to make positive sentences. Use the Future Perfect.

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The term "small talk" is frequently used in and outside of the business world. However, if asked, few of the individuals who use the term would be able to clearly explain what it means. And to enjoy and take full advantage of small talk, one must truly understand it.

Small talk, or non-official talk that's intended to provide a break from official conversation, is often used by business professionals. Most people take short breaks during the work day to converse with others, and business employees aren't exceptions-even if they're taking a break from a conversation with another conversation.

Small talk can concern almost any matter in the world, so long as it is appropriate. Topics such as the weather, weekend plans, and sports are all acceptable small talk subjects. Unacceptable small talk subjects, or small topic matters that're offensive and/or inappropriate, should be avoided at all costs, as they can compromise business relationships and cause one to be fired from his or her position. Topics involving violence and sexual content, as well as racist and/or sexist matters, are common examples of unacceptable small talk subjects.

Other small talk subjects like politics, current issues, and personal preferences aren't necessarily unacceptable, but should be avoided, as they can easily result in disagreement and confrontation. And as many readers know, confrontation and disagreement are best avoided-especially in business!

If small talk is appropriate and welcomed by another individual, it can help to improve relationships, improve business-talk productivity, and allow business pros to have a little bit of fun. One should be sure to not spend too much time on small talk, however, or there won't be enough time left for professional conversation!

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The term "small talk" is frequently used in and outside of the business world. However, if asked, few of the individuals who use the term would be able to clearly explain what it means. And to enjoy and take full advantage of small talk, one must truly understand it.

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English Grammar Exercise - Future Perfect - Mixed|Use the verbs in brackets to make the Future Perfect (this exercise includes positive, negative, Yes/‌No, or Wh-question form).

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Created with Hot Potatoes by Half-Baked Software, registered to Klaus Rosmanitz.

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Job interviews can be a nerve-racking experience, especially when you don't feel prepared for them. And with the variety of interview questions that can be asked these days, it's hard to know what type of questions you should prepare for.

Here are three types of interview questions that you should practise answering before that important job interview.

1. Common interview questions

Tell us about yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why do you want to leave your current job?

These questions are for the interviewer to get to know you and to see if you're the best person for the job. Don't simply list things like your hobbies, your strengths or your work experience. Instead, give examples and use them to show your personality and the characteristics you have that make you perfect for the job. Your interviewer may want to ask questions about certain areas of your CV, so use this opportunity to link your experience to the job you're applying for.

Avoid: Giving a detailed life history or telling long stories that are irrelevant to the job or to the company.

2. Competency questions

Tell me about a time you had to work as a team. Tell me about a time you had to use your creativity to solve a problem. Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict with a colleague and how you handled that situation.

Here, the candidate is asked questions about situations they have faced in the past that can demonstrate a particular skill they have. These could include skills like critical thinking, influencing, problem solving or flexibility. Interviewers often want to hear about challenges you've had, not just about times when everything went smoothly, so be ready with examples such as how you resolved conflict in your team or dealt with someone who was not working well. This will demonstrate that you can handle difficult situations.

When preparing for the job interview, read the job description carefully for the required skills and abilities and try to recall situations where you had to use these skills. Then use the STAR technique when talking about these examples:

Situation - Give details about the context of your example and what you were trying to do.

Task - Describe your responsibilities and the challenges you faced.

Action - Describe what steps you took to deal with the situation.

Result - Talk about the end result and how you contributed to this outcome.

Avoid: Going in unprepared and having to think up examples, or saying you've never faced any challenges at work.

3. Hypothetical questions

What would you do if you had a different opinion from your boss about how to do something? How would you deal with a large volume of work with several staff members off work? What would you do if you had to introduce a new policy that you knew was going to be unpopular in your team?

Hypothetical interview questions are similar to competency questions except that instead of asking you to talk about an experience you've had in the past, they present you with an imaginary situation that you might face in your new job.

This might seem difficult to prepare for, but remember that your answers are meant to demonstrate the skills needed for the job. When preparing for the interview, consider the qualities that the interviewer might be looking for, qualities like conflict management, time management or people skills. Then think about how you can demonstrate those qualities in a range of situations. Start with situations that you've experienced and move on to other possible situations that you might encounter in the role you're applying for.

Avoid: Going off-topic, changing the subject and not answering the original question.

Whatever type of questions they ask, interviewers want to find the right person and are keen to give you the opportunity to demonstrate what you can do. With some preparation, you can show them that you're the perfect fit for the job.

Discussion

Language level

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Preparation is the key to a successful job interview. Here's how to be ready for some common question types.

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Listen to the business interview to practise and improve your listening skills.

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Cancelling a meeting - Business English Lesson

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Occasionally, because of business professionals’ ultra-busy workdays, one will be forced to cancel a scheduled appointment to fulfill another obligation. Common reasons for cancelled appointments include, but are not limited to: scheduling conflicts, illness, social obligations, and work mandates (o…

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As many quick-learning students of business know (perhaps from reading one of our previous lessons!), business phone calls are great for developing professional relationships and making agreements, for a number of different reasons. With that said, when a lot of time, money, and respect are on the line, it's not unusual for two or more individuals to meet and discuss a matter of significance face-to-face.

Face-to-face meetings have been important parts of the business process for years, and all signs indicate that they will remain so for many years to come. However, arranging a face-to-face meeting is a process most often completed through a business phone call; thus, it's imperative that this call be as precise as possible.

Consider the following business phone call example, wherein the caller sets up a face-to-face meeting:

Lotner: Hello, Jack? It's Jared. I had a chance to review the information you emailed, and I'm very impressed.

Tempt: That's great to hear, Jared! I was hopeful that you'd be satisfied.

Lotner: Well, I certainly am, and if possible, I'd like to meet you in-person to discuss some questions I had.

Tempt: That's definitely possible; when were you thinking, for the meeting?

Lotner: I'm a bit busy the rest of this week...Would next Tuesday around noon work?

Tempt: Let's see...Yes, I'm all free next Tuesday at noon.

Lotner: Excellent! Would you like to meet at my office? I can also come to yours, if you'd like.

Tempt: Your office works for me.

Lotner: Fantastic! I'll see you then.

Tempt: I'm looking forward to it.

This typical example might seem insignificant, but it could once again mark the start of a massive, mutually beneficial partnership. In the "real world," arranging a meeting might be slightly more difficult, because of each businessperson's busy schedule, but if one remains professional and courteous, the process should be successful.

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As many quick-learning students of business know (perhaps from reading one of our previous lessons!), business phone calls are great for developing professional relationships and making agreements, for a number of different reasons. With that said, when a lot of time, money, and respect are on the line, it's not unusual for two or more individuals to meet and discuss a matter of significance face-to-face.

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Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content.

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Antonio Cataldo: What would happen if you lost your sense of touch?

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We don't often think of touch as being a vital part of movement, but touch is one part of a network that oversees all the sensations arising from the surface and interior of our bodies. Touch, pain, temperature, and our spatial awareness are regulated by this system.

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Look at the exam question and model letter and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

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Read an article about the different cultural expectations of a leader to practise and improve your reading skills.

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Listen to the information about the 'best job in the world' competition and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

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Listen to Tyrone calling the staff at his local swimming pool and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

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'To rewild', or 're- wild', means 'to make something wild again'. The idea is to restore natural environments to their original state, back to how they were before human activity damaged them. Rewilding aims to put nature, not humans, in control.

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Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3

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Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3 - 02 :: Learn English online - free exercises, explanations, games, teaching materials and plenty of information on English language. :: page 02

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We often hear about the negative side of social media. But what are the benefits? Watch this video to find out.

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Third conditional - past unreal situations

Exercise 1

Choose the correct form to make third conditional sentences.

Third conditional - Grammar Chart

If clause and main clause

We use if + past perfect to talk about an imaginary or hypothetical situation in the past. And we use would have, could have or might have + past participle in the main clauseto talk about the result or consequence of that imaginary situation.

If the jacket had been a bit cheaper, I might have bought it.

Comma

As with all conditional types, we use a comma after the if-clause when it goes at the beginning of the sentence, but we don't use a comma when the if-clause goes at the end.

Unless

We can also use unless in conditional sentences to mean if ... ( not)

I wouldn't have arrived on time unless I had taken a taxi.

= I wouldn't have arrived on time had if I n't taken a taxi.

We are working on this!

We're developing a NEW LEARNING PLATFORM with a subscription plan that includes additional features at an affordable price. One of those features will be PDF downloads.

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Third conditional - past unreal situations - Test-English

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Third conditional - past unreal situations. If I had done ... I would have. Imagined situations in the past. English intermediate grammar exercises.

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Intermediate English Reading - Health and Safety Law (esolcourses.com)

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Read an article about the different cultural expectations of a leader to practise and improve your reading skills.

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Family expecting their 17th child - B1 English listening test - Test-English

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Listening comprehension test for intermediate students (CEFR B1). Watch a video about family and choose the correct answers.

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Listen to the teacher giving students advice for exams and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

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First conditional - Grammar chart

If clause and main clause

All conditional sentences have two parts: the ifclause and the main clause. It doesn't matter which clause comes first, but when the if clause comes first, we should put a comma after it.

If + present, future

In the first conditional, the verb in the if clause is present and the verb in the main clause is future ( will).

Theif clause may have a present or a future meaning, but the verb is always in present (NOT future)

Main clause: will, modal verb, imperative

In the main clause, we can use may, might, can, must, should instead of will.

Or we can also use an imperative instead of will.

Unless = if (not)

We can also use unless in conditional sentences to mean if ... ( not)

Future time clauses - Grammar chart

When, as soon as, before, after, until

When we use a verb after when, as soon as, before, afteror until to talk about the future, we have to use this verb in present tense (NOT future). We use the future in the other part of the sentence.

Similar to first conditional

Future time clauses are similar to the first conditional. There's a main clause and a when/after/etc. clause. We use the verbs in these clauses like in the first conditional.

We use a comma when the when/after/etc. clause is at the beginning of the sentence. But we don't use a comma if the when/after... clause is at the end of the sentence.

We use present in the when/after/etc. clause and we use future in the main clause.

In the main clause, we can also use may, might, can, must, should or an imperative instead of will.

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First conditional, future time clauses - Test-English

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First conditional and future time clauses + when, until, as soon as, before, etc. If clauses. English intermediate grammar exercises.

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Why do we need water?

The human body is around 60 per cent water, and we need to drink lots of water to be healthy. As well as needing clean water to drink, we need it for cooking, washing and brushing our teeth. Hygienic toilets require water - a lot of water. Each time we flush, we can use up to six litres! We use water indirectly too. Farmers, who produce the food we eat, use water to make the plants grow. A lot of water is used to produce the clothes we wear. Did you know that it takes about 2,700 litres of water to make one T-shirt?

Does everyone have enough water?

We all need water to stay alive, but more than two billion people around the world live without safe water in their homes. That's around a quarter of the world's population! Many of them live in rural communities or in places where there is war and conflict. In addition to this, climate change is making the little water they have access to more and more scarce.

What are the consequences?

If we drink dirty water or we can't wash our hands when we go to the toilet, we can catch diseases from bacteria and become ill. More than two thousand children worldwide die every day from diarrhoea caused by dirty water. In some countries, people - mainly women and children - walk many kilometres every day to get water, and sometimes the water isn't even clean! If children spend most of their day walking to get water, they can't go to school, so they don't learn how to read or write and don't get an education.

What happens on World Water Day?

In 1992, the United Nations decided to make a special day for water, and World Water Day has been celebrated on 22 March every year since 1993. On this day, many countries hold events to educate people about the problems of dirty water and to try to find solutions to provide everyone around the world with clean water.

What can we do?

A lot of charities organise fundraising events for World Water Day. People do things like sponsored walks, cycles and swims. Some groups organise events like 'Walk for water', where people walk four, eight or 12 kilometres each day in March, to see how it feels when you have to walk a long way to get your drinking water. Others do a 'Water challenge' and drink only water for a whole month. People give them money to do these things, and all this money helps buy taps and toilets and provide clean water to as many people as possible around the world. So, this World Water Day, what will you do?

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Everyone needs water, and every drop is precious. On 22 March, World Water Day draws attention to the essential role of water in our lives, the difficulties many people have getting clean water, and solutions to these problems.

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Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3

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Exercise on Conditional Sentences Type 3 - 02 :: Learn English online - free exercises, explanations, games, teaching materials and plenty of information on English language. :: page 02

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Exercises Explanation Downloads

Third conditional - past unreal situations

Exercise 1

Choose the correct form to make third conditional sentences.

Third conditional - Grammar Chart

If clause and main clause

We use if + past perfect to talk about an imaginary or hypothetical situation in the past. And we use would have, could have or might have + past participle in the main clauseto talk about the result or consequence of that imaginary situation.

If the jacket had been a bit cheaper, I might have bought it.

Comma

As with all conditional types, we use a comma after the if-clause when it goes at the beginning of the sentence, but we don't use a comma when the if-clause goes at the end.

Unless

We can also use unless in conditional sentences to mean if ... ( not)

I wouldn't have arrived on time unless I had taken a taxi.

= I wouldn't have arrived on time had if I n't taken a taxi.

We are working on this!

We're developing a NEW LEARNING PLATFORM with a subscription plan that includes additional features at an affordable price. One of those features will be PDF downloads.

Learn more!

Personalized English Lessons

Test-English is delighted to announce our partnership with Gymglish to deliver short, personalized and fun online English lessons.

Learn more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Third conditional - past unreal situations - Test-English

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Third conditional - past unreal situations. If I had done ... I would have. Imagined situations in the past. English intermediate grammar exercises.

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Created with Hot Potatoes by Half-Baked Software, registered to Klaus Rosmanitz.

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Fill in the PASSIVE form of the verb in the tense given.

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Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

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Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case.