Lesson 3+4
Before reading
Look at the pictures
a nuclear physicist nuclear physics
While reading
Interviewer: Good afternoon and welcome to Your Career in Science. In the studio today, we have Sana, a nuclear physicist, who is going to tell us about her job. Welcome, Sana. How are you today?
Sana: Hi. I’m fine, thanks. It’s good to be on the show.
Interviewer: I’m sure we’d all like to know about your job. What exactly do you do?
Sana: I mostly work with nuclear engineers to produce new forms of equipment. It’s hard work, but I enjoy the intellectual challenge.
Interviewer: Can you describe a typical day at your work?
Sana: Well, there isn’t really ever a typical day. Sometimes, I work from 9 am to 5 pm, but I might have to travel from one end of the country to the other to get to where I am needed. Sometimes, I have to work at night to complete my experiments, and at other times, I have to write a report very quickly. I have to work very long hours from time to time.
Interviewer: Are there any other kinds of work that you do?
Sana: I used to teach Physics at a university, so I spent a lot of time with students. I really enjoyed teaching, but now I do a lot more research. I also do practical, hands-on work like testing the safety of the radioactive levels in different locations.
Interviewer: How did you become a nuclear physicist?
Sana: Well, I always wanted to work in Science. I studied scientific subjects at school and really enjoyed them. When I left school, I got a degree in Physics and then became a research assistant. After that, I worked on a PhD and taught university students before getting this job.
Interviewer: Have you got any advice for young people who want to follow your career path?
Sana: I recommend that you get some kind of work experience in a laboratory to see if you enjoy the type of work, and also to see if it suits you. Although my job is very stressful, I find it exciting and I enjoy it every day!
The main ideas:
- The job of a nuclear physicist.
- Sana works with nuclear engineers to produce new forms of equipment.
- A typical day at work.
- The negative things that Sana said about her job.
- The necessary education to become a nuclear physicist.
After reading
What is the kind of the text?
It is an interview.