Read and do the following tasks. It was really terrifying . . .

Alex Smithson doesn't have a normal job.
She's a stuntwoman in Hollywood movies.

'I did a nine-to-five job for five years, but I hated working in an office so I decided to become a stuntwoman. I much prefer having this job. It's very exciting and I really like doing the stunts,' she says.

What kinds of things does she have to do?
'Well, in action films for example, I often have to jump out of exploding cars or burning buildings. In the thriller Steel Wings I had to stand on a plane flying over the mountains. It was really terrifying, but great, too.’

Does she worry about the danger?
She knows she could end up in hospital, but she never thinks about it. 'Of course the work is dangerous. But I don't mind being in dangerous situations and there are lots of people on the film set who check that everything is safe. I don't want to die in a stunt, and the director doesn't want me to die either.’

What's the most terrifying job she remembers?
'Once they asked me to get into a hole full of snakes. Of course they weren't really dangerous, but I absolutely hate snakes! I refused to go in! I can't stand looking at pictures of snakes, so you can imagine how I felt near real ones!'

Does she ever want to stop?
'No!' Alex says. 'I know that one day I'll be too old, but right now I enjoy doing what I do, I earn a lot of money and I hope to continue for a long time. I can't imagine doing anything else!'

Find the words in the article with these meaning.
A normal job with regular hours: a n - to - job
Very frightening: t
The opposite of dangerous: s
Really hate something: can’t s something
Get money from a job: e money

Would you like to be a stuntman or stuntwoman? Why/Why not?

Grammar: verb + -ing / verbs + infinitive

Find these words in the text. Write the verb that follows each one.

hated working
refused

decided
can’t stand

prefer
hope

like
imagine

don’t mind
enjoy

don’t want

Write the verbs from Ex. 2a in two lists in your copybooks.

+ -ing
+ infinitive

hate
decide

Can you add these verbs to the lists?

agree
learn
love
offer
promise

Circle the correct verbs.

I hate/love getting up early. It’s the best part of the day.
I don’t like/prefer watching science fiction films on TV. The special effects are better in the cinema.
I prefer / like watching TV to reading a book.
Housework is OK. I don’t mind / hate tidying my room.
I can’t stand / love writing emails. It’s so boring.