Michael Dell’s working day

Michael Dell is chairman of Dell Computer Corporation in the US. For about 30 percent of his time he travels overseas and meets international customers. Each year he makes two or three trips to Europe and two trips to Asia.

When he is at his home in Austin, Texas, he gets up at 5.30 a.m. each day. He lives with his wife, Susan, and their four children, who are all under the age of ten. His wife owns a clothes shop in Austin.

In the mornings he does exercise for an hour from 6.00 a.m. and then drives to his office. He arrives at 8.00 a.m. At his office he talks to customers and makes plan for the organization.

He leaves the office at about 6.15 p.m. and has dinner with his family. He reads stories to his children and gets them to beds. He often spends time in the evening writing e-mails. “Then I go to sleep, get up and do it all again,” he says.

In his free time he likes to go running and biking.

(From The Times)

 

Exercise 1. Mark each statement true or false

1. Michael Dell makes three trips to Asia each year. False

2. He lives in Europe.

3. He has four children.

4. His wife has a shop in Austin, Texas.

5. He has dinner with customers.

6. He works on his computer in the evening.

 

Exercise 2. Complete the article about Giorgio Armani’s working day. Use the verbs from the box

Works sleeps has spends wakes stops Walks travels goes

Giorgio Armani ……… up at 7 a.m. He … to the gym and ……….. an hour there. He …… breakfast and then …… to the office with his bodyguard. He has pasta and a salad for lunch and then he ….. for 10 minutes.

He …. Until 8.00 p.m. on design and administration. He ….. every two months – to the USA, Russia or other parts of Europe. On his way home from the office, he often …. For a drink at Nobu. At weekends he goes to his villa.

Exercise 3. Complete the information about Patrick Ross. Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

I’m Patrick Ross and I …. (work) for an American securities company in Tokyo. I …. (live) near Shibuya, and I…. (travel) to work by subway. My wife is Japanese. She ….. (work) part-time for a Japanese shipping company. She …. (drive) to work. We both …. (like) sports and travelling. We …. (play) golf at the weekend. Our two children (go) to an international school.

 

Exercise 3. Ask your partner questions and write a paragraph about your partner:

What time/ wake up? What time do you wake up?

1. You/have a shower or a bath?

2. What/you have breakfast?

3. You/read the newspaper or listen to the radio?

4. How/you get to work?

5. When/you have your main meal?

6. When/you finish work?

7. What/you do in the evenings?

 

 

Exercise 4. Write about your working day.

 

UNIT VI. Reporting on a trip

Speaking: Reporting on a trip

Grammar: Past Simple (I)