Name:………………………………..

First name:………………………..
English Course: 5H
Reading comprehension EHPN
Form:…………………….………… June 2018
Date:……………………..…………. Teacher: Ms. Stoffels Marks: CL:

ENGLISH – June 2018

Voilà maintenant un an que tu as intégré l’école hotelière et l’heure des premiers bilans
est arrivée. Si tu te vois plutô t travailler dans la restauration, un de tes nouveaux amis
pense se diriger vers le métier de l’hô tellerie, mais n’est pas sû r du type de métier qu’il
aimerait exercer. Tu décides alors de faire quelques recherches pour l’aider à bien
choisir son futur métier. Tu trouves alors sur internet des articles intéressants qui
parlent de différents métiers dans le secteur de l’hô tellerie.

Tâche

Lis attentivement les articles ci-dessous et fais une comparaison (voir modèle ci-
dessous) des différents métiers expliqués. Pour cela, repère et note en français les
informations suivantes :
 les noms des personnes ;
 leur(s) métier(s) précédent(s) ;
 leur métier actuel (et leur ancienneté) ;
 leur horaire ;
 les tâ ches qu’ils doivent accomplir tout au long de leur journée.
Sois complet/complète dans ta prise de note afin d’aider au mieux ton ami à faire son
choix.

Noms x x x
Précédent(s) travail(s)
Travail actuel
Horaire
Tâ ches à accomplir -
-

1
 A Day in the Life of Austin Byrne
Head Chef in the busy Balfes restaurant

Balfes is one of the most popular spots in Dublin. Head chef Austin Byrne is responsible
for the beautiful dishes you’ve likely spotted on Instagram. He’s been working in Balfes
for a year and a half, and we sat down with him to find out what an average day looks
like for him.

“My day generally starts with a short drive to the train station for the 8.05am to Pearse
Station. But I still enjoy around forty minutes of calm before the day ahead. On the
journey into Dublin I mostly spend my time scrolling through Instagram and various
foodie forums, searching the posts of my contemporaries in the restaurant business in
Dublin, London, New York or basically anywhere I can find ideas or spot an emerging
trend.

First task on arrival in Balfes is coffee, always coffee, and a look at our reservation
system for updates on the previous days notes which can and do change day by day.

Then it’s on to brief the team on coming days bookings and check the mornings
deliveries, we have a great relationship with our suppliers whom are for the most part
artisan producers and regularly send us new or interesting items to trial and test.

Balfes is probably one of the busiest restaurant in Dublin and the morning shift has to
run at a fast pace. The guys open the kitchen at 7am to prepare for the beginning of
breakfast service at 8am and it’s not uncommon to see some of our regular guests sitting
on the outdoor terrace just before the doors open.

Without a doubt lunch service throughout the week is the busiest time of day,
particularly Saturday and Sunday brunch. We are generally booked well in advance and
this can mean up to 400 guests.

Generally I get to take some time out just after lunch service as the evening shift is
arriving, mostly spent chatting about the previous evenings business with my sous chefs
and discussing upcoming events.

When I’m finished working (around 9.30pm), I do enjoy the stroll down Grafton Street in
the evening. Rain or shine, it’s always interesting. I can never resist a quick look at the
competition’s menus as I head back towards Pearse station for the train home.

I been very fortunate to have been able to travel extensively throughout my career, so
there have been many good times, starting in London, a couple of years back home in
Dublin then on to Manhattan and Miami. If I had to pick the most memorable period
would have to be the three years I spent in The Hamptons, New York, where I opened a
restaurant with far less capitol than I should have had and left with a bit more than I
hoped I would.

My favourite thing about my job is undoubtedly the people. The people I work with, our
team spirit and the opportunity to be creative."
https://www.doylecollection.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-austin-byrne Wednesday, 17, January 2018

2
 A day in the life of a Receptionist
Before getting the job of Receptionist on-board this cruise ship, I worked for several
years as Receptionist in a 4-star hotel on land.

My shift often starts at 7 am (and ends at 4 pm), and I take over from the Night Auditor.
My first task is to read the notes from when my shift finished yesterday until now, to
update myself on what is going on, what actions are required etc. Then I get my cash-
float from the safe and take my place at the Reception Desk.
And here comes the first guest, asking at what time they can leave the ship. We are in
Port today, but first the ship needs to be cleared by local authorities. Therefore I'll
inform the guest to listen for an announcement which will advise when guests can go
ashore.

The next guest asks for a map of the town where the ship is today. Luckily the local tour
operator was already on-board and left a pile of maps here at Reception. At the same
time the guests want some local currency, so I charge the amount requested to the
guests account in the currency of the ship (US Dollars) and pay out the equivalent
amount in local currency to the guest.

Besides answering a great variety of questions to guests, the Receptionist is also the
person for guests to listen to their complaints. For the technical matters, such as
replacing light bulbs, we write the comment in the technical book and inform the
Electrical Department. Before we send an employee from the Technical Department for
other reported cabin malfunctions, such as toilet not flushing, no hot water or safes
which cannot be opened, we first get Housekeeping to check to ensure they are not
simply 'operator error' since guests often do not press the flush button correctly, have
not changed the tap from cold to hot, or have simply forgotten the combination they
have entered into the safe.

As Receptionist, I am often required to prepare paperwork for clearance or for the next
cruise. Some Countries require extensive landing forms from guests, which are prepared
and completed by the Reception staff during quiet periods when there are no guest
queries, either in person or by phone.
Preparation for the next cruise includes printing the key cards for the new guests in
advance.

This was a rather typical day in my busy life as a Receptionist on-board a cruise ship.

Samantha Paul, South Africa http://www.cruiselinesjobs.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-receptionist/

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BRIAN MURPHY FROM THE BLOOMSBURY HOTEL

In the latest in our ‘Day in the Life’ series, we discussed with Brian Murphy, head
concierge at The Bloomsbury Hotel in London.

My shift starts at eight in the morning, and I finish up around half past four in the
afternoon. I use the tube to get to work every day – it’s only an hour from my house to
the hotel. As I always come to work in casual clothes, the first thing I do is change into
3
my work uniform. Once I get to my desk I look at the proud sheet (our day’s business
sheet) and my diary.
My working day starts with a briefing with my doorman and porters, to talk about the
day ahead. Guests will be requiring taxis, directions and reservation requests from first
thing, so there are always lots to be done. Then it’s on to answering emails and dealing
with problems to be discussed with other departments.

Being a concierge means you are always interacting with guests. They come to me in the
first instance and always have a lot of questions! Mornings and evenings are particularly
busy, when guests are looking for information about their day ahead and then on to
restaurant or theatre recommendations for the evening.

I’ll usually stop for a coffee around 10am, and then take my lunch around 1pm, which I
eat in the canteen with the other staff.

I’ve worked for the Bloomsbury Hotel for 19 years, and I’ve been Luggage
Porter/Concierge since 1990. Originally, I started off as a butcher, but then a friend who
worked in hotels got me a job as a luggage porter, and the rest is history!

A concierge’s whole day is always busy, dealing with guests, delegates, public and staff.
No two days are the same, which always makes our job interesting.

You can get some unique requests, too. Once, we had a guest staying over Christmas, and
he decided he would propose to his girlfriend at the Emirates Stadium. He asked me to
arrange for the stadium announcer to do this. I said I would try my best and managed to
get it on the scoreboard! I’m sure she said yes, as I got a thank you from the boyfriend
the next day.

My work day finishes at about 4.30pm but could be later if we are very busy. At about
2.30pm, the evening Concierge comes in and I will have done a thorough hand over by
4pm.
http://www.doylecollection.com/blog/day-in-life-brian-murphy Nicola Brady – 22/12/2014

Vocabulary :
- an update : une mise à jour, une actualisation
- a delivery : une livraison
- a shift : une équipe (roulement au travail)
- at a fast pace : à une cadence/un rythme élevé(e)
- the stroll down : le fait de flâ ner le long d’une rue, se promener
- a Night Auditor : réceptionniste de nuit
- a cash-float : un fonds de caisse
- to go ashore : descendre à terre
- the currency : la devise (monnaie)
- besides : en plus de
- a bulb : une ampoule
- the paperwork : les papiers, la paperasserie
- a clearance : une autorisation (pour un bateau d’entrer dans un port par ex.)
- a landing : fait de débarquer
- thorough : minutieux(se)
- to hand over : passer le relais