accepted by a famous painter from Florence to develop his drawing skills. He learnt a lot about the design and structure of various machines and developed a new attitude towards machines, which made it possible for him to produce more drawings of mechanical ideas and create perfect working machines. Da Vinci was such a talented man that he was skilled in almost every field he turned his attention to.

Step Ⅱ Pre-writing

T: In the listening period, we have known something about James Dyson and his Company. Do you remember?

S1: Yes. I have known James Dyson is a famous British Inventor who has made great inventions.

T: Well, would you like to get a job in his company in the future? Why?

S2: Sure. I think it will be pleasant and worthwhile for us young people to have a chance to go abroad and work in a famous company like this. I'm sure both my English and my work experience can be greatly improved if I am lucky enough to work there.

T: If there is a job of an assistant in his company, what will you do in order to get it?

S3: I will first make a phone call to the personnel manager and ask for as much information as possible so as to get well prepared for the job interview. In the letter to the company I would like to list all my skills, experiences and abilities in all aspects and try my best to get the job.

Step Ⅲ Writing

T: Next, please write a letter to apply for the job as an assistant, please read the instructions in the writing part on page 27 first.

A sample version:

Dear Mr Dyson,

I would like to apply to become an assistant in your company. As a child I often accompanied my father to his small coin shop and spent hours watching him work. When I grew up, I sometimes set up displays, waited on customers, and even balanced the books. This experience instilled in me the desire to own and manage my own business someday, yet I understand that the business world today is more complex.