Which TWO issues with online internship advice does the speaker mention?
A It is too expensive. B It is written for large companies only. C It does not explain safety clearly. D It ignores personal situations. E It is out of date.
Questions 13 and 14
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
Which TWO tips does the speaker give for a good first week?
A Ask for a short tour. B Work late every day. C Keep a small notebook. D Avoid speaking to senior staff. E Learn the emergency rules.
Questions 15–18
What is each intern’s main difficulty in the first month? Choose from A–C.
Difficulties A understanding the schedule B remembering safety steps C feeling confident to ask questions
15 Kevin ______ 16 Sara ______ 17 Tony______ 18 Jo ______
Questions 19 and 20
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
19 The speaker says the most important habit is A arriving early B checking labels carefully C writing long reports
20 She suggests interns meet their supervisor A once a week B once a month C only if there is a problem
Keys
11 C
12 D
13 A
14 E
15 A
16 B
17 C
18 B
19 B
20 A
Transcript
Part 2: You will hear a talk about online internship advice.
Hi everyone. I’m Elena, and I support students who start internships or placements. A lot of people search online for advice, and some of it is helpful, but I want to mention two problems I see again and again. When you are nervous, it is tempting to read ten articles and try to follow all of them, but that usually makes the first week harder, not easier. I want you to feel prepared, but to keep your expectations realistic, because every workplace has its own habits.
First, many articles do not explain safety clearly. They focus on confidence, networking, and being proactive, but they forget that the first week often includes safety rules. In labs, workshops, or even offices with equipment, safety is not optional. If advice doesn’t mention emergency exits, reporting hazards, or basic rules, it can give a false sense of simplicity. You may feel relaxed, then suddenly realise you do not know what to do when something goes wrong.
Second, online advice often ignores personal situations. For example, some students have long travel times, part time jobs, or family responsibilities. An article might say arrive an hour early and stay late every day, but that is not realistic for everyone. Good advice should adapt to real life. If you try to copy someone else’s routine, you can burn out in the first month.
So what should you do. Two tips work in almost every placement. Tip one is ask for a short tour. Even if it’s only ten minutes, a tour shows you key places, where to find supplies, where to ask questions, and where not to go. It also helps you learn names, like who sits at reception and who manages equipment. Tip two is learn the emergency rules early. Find out what to do in a fire alarm, who to call if something spills, and where the first aid kit is. These are small actions that reduce stress.
Different interns struggle in different ways. Kevin told me his main difficulty was understanding the schedule. He didn’t know when meetings happened or which tasks were urgent, and he missed a deadline simply because he did not check the calendar. Sara struggled most with remembering safety steps, like which gloves to use and where to dispose of waste. Tony found it hard to feel confident to ask questions. He worried he would seem slow, so he stayed quiet and then repeated errors. Jo also struggled with safety steps at first, especially when rules changed between rooms, so she kept a simple checklist in her pocket.
The most important habit, in my opinion, is checking labels carefully. Labels prevent simple mistakes, and mistakes waste time. Finally, I recommend meeting your supervisor once a week. It doesn’t need to be long. Ten minutes is enough. Weekly meetings keep you on track and make it easier to ask questions before small problems grow. One last thing. If you make a mistake, report it early. Supervisors prefer a quick honest message to a problem that gets hidden for a week.
