【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 23-30
M: Good morning and welcome to the Food and Drink Show. In the studio, today we have Christine Whitelaw who works as a Personal Assistant to the world famous chef Patrick Millar. Christine has worked for him for the past 18 months and has loved every minute of it. Her boss has many interests ranging from a cookery school for professionals and amateurs, to a catering service and a range of luxury food items. Christine's organizational skills have to be faultless as a result. She also considers a good memory, confident phone manner and fast typing speeds to be vital to her job. So Christine, how did you become PA to such an important figure in the food and drink industry?
F: Well, I always wanted to work in catering, so after leaving school, I completed a year on a cookery course before spending another year at secretarial college. My first job came about following a visit to London. I went to lunch at the Palace Hotel and thought, 'I would really like to work here', so I wrote to see if they had any positions, and it just so happened they did.
M: That was a lucky break, wasn't it?
F: It certainly was. I worked as a PA to the executive director of the hotel group for more than three years before hearing that Patrick Millar was advertising for a new PA. I applied, had to go to two interviews, and got the job.
M: How does an ordinary day go?
F: I usually meet Patrick first of all to run through his diary and letters. If clients are expected for lunch, I may take them on a pre-lunch tour of the cookery school. It has a collection of 6, 000 cookery books, which many people are keen to read. Then I take them to the restaurant. In the afternoons I usually do letters and make phone calls. I have an assistant to help me. Each day is fairly different, however. If Patrick is busy in the morning we sometimes have a working lunch together in the chefs office, never in the restaurant or kitchen.
M: Did you find your previous experience in the hotel business useful?
F: Yes, especially in learning how to deal with the public, both face to face and over the phone. One thing it didn't prepare me for was the long hours, as, nowadays, I often have to work until 7p. m. and then go on to a reception or function.
M: You often hear about how difficult these top chefs are to work for. Is Patrick very moody or do you get along well?
F: Oh, he's terrific and he involves me in most of the decision-making. The worst part of working for him is that I'm surrounded by delicious food all day. I try not to be tempted!
M: Can you cook yourself?
F: Well, I do enjoy cooking and I have tried a few things from his recipe books. However, I have no plans to work as a cook. The job I have combines everything I love: food, meeting people and being at someone's right hand.
M: Thank you, Christine, for coming to talk to us today. Next week, we'll be interviewing...