听力长对话1

　　F: Simon, how does it feel to be retired?

　　M: Well, not so bad.

　　F: How have you been spending your time?

　　M: I have been spending more time with my family. I’ve also travelled a bit, you know, off season when everywhere is less crowded and hotels cost less.

　　F: Great.

　　M: You know I haven’t stopped work completely.

　　F: Yes, could you tell us more about this?

　　M: I’m on a scheme that’s called phased retirement; I had a six-month break from work, after that I could apply for project work with the company I used to work for.

　　F: How does the scheme work?

　　M: Well, it’s a trial at the moment. Instead of hiring temporary stuff, the company advertises posts on its website that retired employees like myself can access.

　　F: What sort of works advertised?

　　M: Well, all sorts of things, really. Administrative work and more specialized work, the sort of thing I can do. Some of the projects can last five or six months, and others can just be a couple of days. I can decide more or less when to work. So I can manage my own time.

　　F: I can see it’s good for you. What is your company get out of this?

　　M: Well, I still have all my old contacts at work, so I know who to contact to get something done. The company gets flexibility, too. Once the job’s over, that’s it. I’m not on their books any more.

　　Questions 19-21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　19. Why does Simon find his retired life enjoyable?

　　20. How does Simon get to know about the company’s available posts?

　　21. Why does the company adopt the phased retirement scheme?