Task 2 · Listening · Variant 18

Noah: Samantha, over here. Hi!

Samantha: Hey, long time no see...

Noah: Oh, yeah! Shall we sit by the window?

Samantha: Actually, I'd prefer to sit in the corner. That booth looks cosy and I don't like being on display.

Noah: Your wish is my command. I usually sit at the counter, but any place will do. I love this café. They serve amazing coffee and refreshing smoothies. Fancy anything?

Samantha: I'm a fan of milkshakes. Do you remember spending nights over banana-and-chocolate ice-cream?

Noah: Believe me, I do. Then a banana milkshake for you and one Latte for me. I'm a bit sleepy today, so I hope caffeine will do the trick.

Samantha: Hm. I think I'll go with Latte as well. Don't feel like having a cold drink today.

Noah: Sure. Rumor has it that you've finally graduated.

Samantha: What do you mean 'finally'? It didn't take long and I was the best student in my course.

Noah: But it wasn't four years either, was it?

Samantha: No, it wasn't. I did take a couple of internships at the hospital while studying, which added a year and a half to my education. Well, nearly two years, all right. What about you?

Noah: I've done my Bachelor's and I will get my Master's in half a year. What's the most useful thing you got from your studies?

Samantha: I guess, that was a concept that I should be able to maintain the work-life balance. My professors say that these days companies encourage their employees to bring what they call their whole self to work, and that we shouldn't be tempted by that.

Noah: I agree with them. I've had a summer internship with one company. Everything there was about optimizing my personality. The community. The sense that I was not working for a salary but to make the world a better place. I was in love with my work — body, mind, heart and soul. But I soon realised that what they actually wanted is to expand the company's profits.

Samantha: Harsh reality, yeah. You love your work but it doesn't love you back.

Noah: Indeed. And my love to work and my energy are limited. And life is more than work.

Samantha: I couldn't agree more. According to one of my textbooks, work is labour exchanged for salary. It shouldn't turn into an all-encompassing sacrifice of our time and energy.

Noah: My grandma wouldn't agree with you here. She used to say that I should love my work.

Samantha: I don't mean that we should hate our job, but we shouldn't become work-obsessed.

Noah: Yeah. But, we got distracted. Let's order our drinks and maybe some snacks. What do you think?

Samantha: Yeah. Could you please pass me the menu?