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Improve your vocabulary, listening or reading skills with the quizzes below.
Quiz 1: Vocabulary Focus
physical • hands-on • open his eyes
flipping • leftover
  1. I need a experience to remember anything.
  2. We can make some sandwiches with the turkey.
  3. You can't spend your whole life burgers at a fast food restaurant.
  4. Volunteer work helped him to the people who need help.
  5. My job involves a lot of labor and I'm exhausted by the end of the day.
Quiz 2: Comprehension Q's
Answer the following questions about the interview.
VideoVideo Response
Mixer Topic

Mixer #11 First Job

In this segment, six people talk about their first job.

  • Transcript
  • Audio Slide Show
  • Vocabulary

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physical labor

It was hard physical labor.

'Physical labor' is work that we do with our body. If we use muscles, and sweat, it is physical labor.  Notice the following:

  1. Jobs requiring physical labor are usually low paying.
  2. In developed countries, the demand for physical labor is low.

hands-on

They owned a hands-on science and math museum.

Here, 'hands-on' refers a museum where people can touch things and actually do what they are learning.  For instance, learning math with colored balls is hands-on. It's easier to learn, and a lot more fun.   Notice the following:

  1. For children, hands-on materials can be a lot more fun.
  2. I learn faster with hands-on experience.

open their eyes

It was a lot of fun seeing kids open their eyes to math and science.

When we 'open our eyes' to something that means we become interested in it. There are some things that many children are not very interested in, like math and science. When they see something that makes them interested in those things, it is called 'opening their eyes'.  Notice the following:

  1. The Mozart festival really opened his eyes to classical music.
  2. As a kid, reading opened my eyes to the rest of the world.

flipping burgers

I had a job at McDonald's flipping burgers.

'Flipping burgers' means to make hamburgers. It actually means to quickly turn  them over while they are cooking, but it is used to describe the activities of any person who works in a hamburger restaurant.  Notice the following:

  1. Flipping burgers is a popular part-time job for students.
  2. In high school I tried flipping burgers for a week.  I hated it!

leftover

We could take all the leftover bread home.

'Leftover' means something isn’t used at the end of the day. We usually keep leftover food in the refrigerator and eat it the following day.  Notice the following:

  1. I love leftover pizza!
  2. There are always a lot of delicious leftovers during the holiday season.