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Maya had been preparing for the interview for weeks. It was for a job at a small design company in London, and she had practised her answers so often that she could say them in her sleep. On Monday morning, she put on her best jacket, checked her portfolio one last time and left her flat early.
Outside Waterloo Station, it was pouring with rain. As Maya hurried towards the bridge, she noticed an elderly man trying to pick up dozens of papers that the wind had blown across the pavement. Everyone else walked past him, staring at their phones.
Maya looked at her watch. If she stopped, she might be late. But she couldn't just leave him there, so she knelt down and helped him gather the wet pages. It took almost ten minutes. The man thanked her warmly and asked where she was going in such a hurry. When she told him, he smiled and wished her luck.
Maya arrived at the office five minutes late, soaked and out of breath. The receptionist asked her to wait. She was sure she had ruined her chance.
Finally, the door opened and a voice said, 'Come in, Miss Patel.' Maya looked up and froze. Behind the desk, drying his glasses with a handkerchief, sat the elderly man from the bridge.
'I've read your CV,' he said, 'and your work is excellent.' 'But this morning I learnt something more important about you.' He paused. 'When can you start?'
Words in this text
Point at a word to see its meaning. Tap ★ to add it to My words.
- practiseddone something many times to get better at it
- portfolioa collection of examples of your work
- pouringraining very hard
- hurriedwent somewhere quickly
- elderlyold (a polite word)
- blownmoved with the wind
- pavementthe path at the side of a road where people walk
- staringlooking at something for a long time
- knelt downwent down onto her knees
- gathercollect, bring together
- soakedvery, very wet
- out of breathbreathing fast after running
- receptionistthe person at the front desk of an office who welcomes visitors
- ruinedcompletely spoiled
- frozestopped moving suddenly, because of surprise or fear
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