3

COOL
JOBS
An astronomer prepares for
work at the Mount Wilson
Observatory, United States.

WARM UP

Discuss these questions

with a partner.

1. Look at the photo and read

the caption. What is the
person’s job?

2. Do you think this job is

interesting? Why or why
not?

35
 3A
Nora Shawki achieved her lifelong
goal of becoming an archeologist,
but there were challenges
along the way.

BEFORE YOU READ

DEFINITIONS A. Look at the photo and read the caption. Match each word in
bold with its definition.
1. archeologist • • a. something you hope to achieve
2. challenge • • b. a difficult situation
3. goal • • c. a person who finds and studies
objects from the past

SKIMMING B. What challenges do you think Nora Shawki might have faced
in her career? Discuss your ideas with a partner. Then skim
the passage to see which of your ideas are mentioned.

36 Unit 3A
DIGGING
FOR THE
PAST by Nora Shawki
A When I was in third grade, I watched a video that recreated the
discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb. I remember Howard
Carter1 peering through a narrow hole in the tomb with a candle.
A workman asked what he could see: “Wonderful things!”
Carter said. From that moment, I knew what I wanted to do with
my life.
B Today, I’m lucky to work as an archeologist. I study the lives
of people who lived in Egypt’s Nile Delta. It’s exciting work.
Sometimes you find something that was buried three thousand
years ago. Holding a piece of history is an amazing feeling.
C So I decided what I wanted to be at the age of nine, and I made
it happen. Seems easy, right? Not quite! The road wasn’t easy. I
did my studies—university, then a PhD. But along the way I was
told many things: I was too young, I wasn’t qualified, I should
get married and have kids. I also needed money, so I applied
for six grants.2 The first five replies I got said no. Six months later,
the last reply came: This time it was yes. Finally, I could start my
own excavation.3
D For anyone thinking about a career, I would say: Never give
up. If you want to do something, keep trying. If people tell you
no, use that—it will push you. At the beginning, it hurts. But
the next no hurts a little less. It makes you stronger and actually
helps you.
E Second, focus on your goals. And I stress yours. You don’t have
to follow other people. If they say something has never been
done, make it happen. You may be the first to do it! There are
always challenges, but you overcome them in the end.

1 Howard Carter was a British archeologist who became famous for discovering the
tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922.
2 A grant is money given by a government or organization for a special project.
3 An excavation involves removing earth to search for very old objects buried in the
ground.

Unit 3A 37
READING COMPREHENSION

A. Choose the best answer for each question.

GIST 1. What could be another title for the reading?

a. Following a Childhood Dream
b. A Day in the Life of an Archeologist
c. The Nile Delta’s Hidden Treasures
PURPOSE 2. What is the purpose of paragraph A?
a. to explain the challenges Shawki faced at school
b. to describe what was found inside Tutankhamen’s tomb
c. to explain how Shawki became interested in archeology
SEQUENCE 3. Which of the following happened first?
a. Shawki applied for a grant.
b. Shawki went to university.
c. Shawki decided to be an archeologist.
DETAIL 4. Which of the following is NOT given as a challenge Shawki faced?
a. Others didn’t agree with her career choice.
b. She needed to take care of her family.
c. It was difficult to get money for excavations.
VOCABULARY 5. In paragraph E, what does stress mean?
a. a feeling you have when your life is difficult
b. to make it clear that something is important
c. to introduce a new idea or opinion

MATCHING B. Match each paragraph with a suitable heading.

HEADINGS
1. Paragraph B • • a. Be the First
2. Paragraph C • • b. Stay Positive
3. Paragraph D • • c. A Dream Come True
4. Paragraph E • • d. Overcoming Challenges

Many discoveries have been made in Egypt’s

Nile Delta, such as the Temple of Amun in Tanis.

38 Unit 3A
READING SKILL

Dealing with New Vocabulary (1)—Using a Dictionary

When you look up a new word in a dictionary, there is often more than one definition. To find the
correct definition, first identify its part of speech (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb). Then look at the
other words in the sentence to help you find the correct definition.

MATCHING A. Identify the part of speech of the word past in each sentence below. Then
match each sentence to the correct definition.
1. Archeologists study the past. • • a. (adj) previous
2. They drove past the museum. • • b. (prep) after a certain time
3. I was away this past weekend. • • c. (prep) beyond a certain place
4. It’s 20 minutes past six. • • d. (n) the time before now

COMPLETION B. Circle the part of speech for each underlined word. Then look up the word in a
dictionary, and write down its definition.
1. I study the lives of people who lived in Egypt’s Nile Delta. (paragraph B)
part of speech: noun / verb
definition: 
2. I did my studies. (paragraph C)
part of speech: noun / verb
definition: 
3. The first five replies I got said no. (paragraph C)
part of speech: noun / verb
definition: 
4. Second, focus on your goals. (paragraph E)
part of speech: noun / verb
definition: 

CRITICAL THINKING Evaluating Advice

Rate each piece of career advice below 1–5 (5 = great advice, 1 = bad advice).
a. Don’t worry about money. Choose a job you love.
b. It’s important to get a job at a big company.
c. Don’t listen to other people. Only your opinion matters.
d. Qualifications aren’t important if you have talent.
e. The best way to be successful is to start your own business.
f. Dream jobs rarely happen. Aim for something more realistic.

Compare your answers with a partner and explain your reasons.

Unit 3A 39
VOCABULARY PRACTICE

COMPLETION A. Complete the information using the words in the box.

career  decide  follow  history  lucky

Do you love 1 ? If so, there are

some interesting 2 paths that
you can 3 . Some people work
as archeologists or historians. Others might
4
to work as teachers,
librarians, tour guides, or researchers.

Another interesting job is that of a “living

historian.” Living historians work as actors at
historical sites. They wear traditional clothes
and speak in the language from that time.
Visitors who are 5 enough
to speak to a living historian can ask them
questions about life at that time. A living historian wears 18th-century
clothing in Virginia, United States.
DEFINITIONS B. Choose the correct word or phrase to
complete each sentence below.
1. If something hurts you badly, you may cry / smile.
2. If something is amazing, it is very bad or boring / good or surprising.
3. When you get married, you have a husband or wife / son or daughter.

COLLOCATIONS C. The adjectives below can be used with the verb get. Complete the sentences
using the words in the diagram.
1. It’s easy to get in
the dark. married tired
2. We need to get
to leave. Class starts in
10 minutes. ready get angry
3. I get when
I work all day without a break.
4. If I feel like I’m getting
lost dark
, I take some
deep breaths and count to 10.

40 Unit 3A