First Day at Work — Easy English Story

Transcript

Introduction

A: It’s Maya’s first day at a new job, and she’s so nervous she can barely sit still.

A: Listen for these phrases: to start a new job, to introduce yourself, a coworker, to show someone around, to make a good impression, to fit in, to get the hang of it, and “Don’t worry”.

A: After the story, we’ll go through each phrase and practice it together.

A: You can practice today’s phrases in Recursio — link in the description.

The first morning

A: Maya stood outside a tall glass building. It was quarter to nine in the morning, and her heart was beating fast. Today she was going to start a new job.

A: She had woken up very early. She tried on three different shirts before she chose the right one, and she didn’t eat much breakfast — her stomach felt full of butterflies. On the bus, she read her new work emails again and again.

A: This was a big day for her. She had wanted this job for a long time, and she had done three interviews to get it. Now, finally, she was here. She didn’t want to waste the chance.

A: She had a new bag, new shoes, and a big question in her head: will they like me? She took a deep breath. “It’s okay,” she thought. “Everyone is new on the first day.”

A: To start a new job is exciting, but it’s also a little scary. Maya really wanted to make a good impression. She wanted the team to think, “She’s nice, and she’s good at her work.”

A: She walked inside. A woman at the front desk smiled at her.

B: Good morning! Can I help you?

A: Maya tried to sound calm.

B: Hi, yes. It’s my first day. I’m starting with the marketing team today.

A: The woman at the desk nodded and picked up the phone.

B: Welcome! Take a seat. Someone will come down to get you in a minute.

A: Maya sat down. She watched the people walking past. They all looked busy and confident, and she felt very new. “I just want to fit in,” she thought. “I don’t want to be the strange one who doesn’t understand anything.”

A: She looked at her phone. Two of her old friends had sent good-luck messages. “You’ll be great,” one of them said. Maya smiled a little. She really hoped it was true.

A: A few minutes later, a friendly man came down the stairs. He was holding two cups of coffee. He smiled and walked straight to her.

B: You must be Maya! I’m Tom. I work in the marketing team too. Welcome!

A: Tom gave her one of the coffees. Maya was surprised and happy.

B: Oh — thank you! That’s so kind.

A: Tom smiled.

B: Don’t worry, it’s just coffee. Everyone needs coffee on the first day. Come on — I’ll show you around.

Meeting the team

A: Tom showed Maya around the office. It was big and bright, with large windows and a lot of desks.

B: So, this is the marketing team. That’s the meeting room over there. And this is the kitchen — the most important room in any office.

A: Maya laughed. She was starting to feel a little more relaxed.

A: They walked past a wall of tall windows. Down below, Maya could see the busy street and the tiny cars. The office was high above the city.

A: Tom pointed to a big board on the wall, full of colorful notes and photos.

B: This is our ideas board. When you have a good idea, you write it here. Even small ideas — we like them all.

A: Maya liked that. It felt open and friendly.

A: Then Tom showed her a small quiet room in the corner, with soft chairs and a plant.

B: When it gets noisy out there and you need to focus, just come in here. Nobody will bother you.

A: That was good to know. Little by little, this felt like a kind place to work.

B: The coffee machine is over here. I’ll be honest — it’s a bit difficult. It took me a whole week to get the hang of it.

A: That’s a useful phrase: to get the hang of it. It means to learn something slowly until it feels easy. Tom said it with a smile, so Maya didn’t feel bad.

B: Don’t worry, I’ll teach you later. For now, let’s go and meet the team.

A: They walked to a group of desks. Four people looked up and smiled. Maya’s heart started to beat fast again. Now she had to introduce herself.

A: Maya took a breath and smiled.

B: Hi, everyone. I’m Maya. It’s my first day. I’m really happy to be here.

A: That’s a useful phrase: to introduce yourself. It means to tell people your name and a little about yourself. Maya did it, and it wasn’t so hard after all.

A: A woman with glasses stood up and shook her hand.

B: Hi Maya, I’m Priya. Welcome to the team! If you need anything, just ask. We’re a friendly group.

A: A young man at the next desk waved at her.

B: Hi, I’m Sam. Good to meet you. Ask me anything — I was the new person last month, so I still remember how it feels.

A: Maya felt better. These were her new coworkers, and they seemed kind. That’s a useful word: a coworker — a person you work with. Good coworkers can make a hard day easy.

A: Then something small went wrong. As Maya sat down at her new desk, she moved her hand too fast — and her cup fell over. Coffee went all over the desk, close to a keyboard. Her face went red.

B: Oh no! I’m so sorry! On my first day — what a great first impression.

A: She wanted to make a good impression, and now there was coffee everywhere. She felt terrible. But Tom just laughed in a kind way and gave her some paper towels.

B: Don’t worry about it. Really. I broke a computer on my first day, so you’re already doing better than me.

A: The others laughed too, but in a warm way, not a bad way. Priya helped her clean the desk. And strangely, Maya felt better after that. The little accident made her feel less like a stranger. She was starting to fit in.

A: A quick tip while Maya settles in: when you meet a new phrase, save it and come back to it later. In Recursio, your phrases come back for review before you forget them. Now, back to Maya’s first day.

The end of the day

A: The rest of the day was busy, but good. Tom showed Maya how to use the computer system. Priya explained the team’s projects. Maya listened, took notes, and asked questions.

A: The coffee machine was still her enemy. She pressed the wrong button twice, and the first cup was terrible. But the third cup was okay. Slowly, she was getting the hang of it.

A: Soon, Tom gave Maya her first small task. He asked her to write a short email to a client. Maya was nervous, but she wrote it carefully and showed it to Tom.

B: This is really good — clear and friendly. Just change one word here, and it’s perfect.

A: Maya felt happy. Her first task, and it went well. Slowly, she was getting the hang of the work too.

A: At lunchtime, the team asked her to eat with them. They talked about work, films, and holidays. Priya asked Maya about her old job and her hobbies, and Sam told a joke that wasn’t very funny, but everyone laughed anyway. For the first time that day, Maya forgot to be nervous. She was starting to fit in with the team.

A: Later, Sam couldn’t find a file on the computer. Maya had seen it that morning, so she showed him where it was. It was a very small thing, but it felt good to help. On her first day, she was already useful.

A: In the middle of the afternoon, the team had a short meeting. Maya mostly listened, but at the end, she asked one small question. Priya nodded and said it was a good question. Maya felt a little braver.

A: A bit later, her manager came to her desk. Her name was Elena, and she had a calm, kind voice.

B: Maya, how was your first day? Not too scary, I hope?

A: Maya smiled.

B: It was great, thank you. Everyone’s been so kind. Tom showed me around, and the team helped me a lot. I spilled coffee everywhere, though — sorry about that.

A: Elena laughed.

B: Don’t worry about the coffee. That happens to everyone. Honestly, you made a really good impression today. You asked good questions, and you’re easy to talk to.

A: For a moment, Maya didn’t know what to say. She just smiled.

B: Thank you, Elena. That really means a lot on my first day.

A: Maya felt proud. In the morning, she was worried about everything. But she had introduced herself, met her coworkers, and made a good impression. She was starting to fit in — and starting to get the hang of the job.

A: It was strange, she thought. This morning, the building had looked huge and cold. Now, after just one day, it already felt a little like her building — and these people already felt a little like her team.

A: At six o’clock, she put on her coat. Tom waved from his desk.

B: Good job today, Maya! See you tomorrow. And don’t worry — day two is always easier.

A: Maya walked out of the tall glass building. The evening air was cool and fresh. She smiled. Her first day was over, and it was a good one. Tomorrow, she thought, she wouldn’t be so nervous. She was already part of the team.

A: On the bus home, she sent a message to her friends: “It went really well. I think I’m going to like it here.” And this time, she truly meant it.

Phrase review

A: Now let’s review the useful phrases from the story. I’ll say each phrase, explain it, and give you an example. Listen, and repeat after me.

A: First: to start a new job. This means to begin working at a new company or in a new place. For example: “I’m nervous, because I start a new job on Monday.”

A: Next: to introduce yourself. This means to tell people your name and a little about yourself. For example: “Let me introduce myself. I’m Maya, the new designer.”

A: Next: a coworker. A coworker is a person you work with. For example: “My coworkers are friendly, so work is fun.” You can also say “a colleague” — it means almost the same thing.

A: Next: to show someone around. This means to take a new person and show them the place — the rooms, the desks, the kitchen. For example: “It was my first day, so a coworker showed me around.”

A: Next: to make a good impression. This means to make people think good things about you when they first meet you. For example: “Wear something nice for the interview and make a good impression.”

A: Next: to fit in. This means to feel comfortable in a group, like you belong there. For example: “The team was kind, so I started to fit in quickly.”

A: Next: to get the hang of it. This means to slowly learn how to do something, until it becomes easy. For example: “The new computer was hard at first, but now I’ve got the hang of it.”

A: And finally: “Don’t worry”. We say this to help someone feel calm and relaxed. For example: “Don’t worry, everyone makes mistakes on the first day.”

Mini recall

A: Now let’s practice together. I’ll describe something, and you say the phrase. Don’t worry if it’s hard. Try first, and then I’ll give you the answer.

A: You begin working at a new company. What do you do? You…?

A: You start a new job.

A: You tell new people your name and a little about you. What do you do?

A: You introduce yourself.

A: The people you work with — what do we call them?

A: Your coworkers.

A: Someone takes you through a new office and shows you the rooms, the desks, and the kitchen. They…?

A: They show you around.

A: You want people to think good things about you when they first meet you. You want to…?

A: Make a good impression.

A: You slowly learn how to do something, until it’s easy. You…?

A: Get the hang of it.

A: And you feel comfortable in a group, like you belong. You start to…?

A: Fit in.

A: Your friend is nervous, and you want to help them feel calm. What can you say?

A: Don’t worry. Well done!

Outro

A: That’s the end of our story, “First Day at Work”.

A: Today you learned: to start a new job, to introduce yourself, a coworker, to show someone around, to make a good impression, to fit in, to get the hang of it, and “Don’t worry”.

A: If you want to review these phrases and really remember them, open the link below and practice them in Recursio.

A: Thank you for listening. See you in the next story. And good luck on your first day — you’ll do great!