The End of Retirement

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is essential to perceive that retirement is a man-made process, not a step backwards or an indispensable moment in time. But given all the changes in time, retirement might not be how we perceive it anymore.

Have you contemplated on what you’re going to do after you retire from your job? Is it globe trotting? Are you spending time at home or do nothing and simply relax? Gardening? Or simply having a good time with your grandkids? Should you run your own business instead?
Is there so much more to do? What exactly would your retirement years be like?

To find out more, let’s take a moment to read the full article.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220526-is-this-the-end-of-retirement-as-we-know-it

Discussion Questions:

  1. How has retirement changed over the years? Is this happening in your country as well?
  2. What do you think of the tendency for “people to expect and need to work past traditional retirement age”?
  3. How do you picture your retirement in your head?
  4. Do you think people who retire miss working? Why or why not?
  5. What’s the best age for retirement and why?
  6. In what ways do you think retirement might be gleeful?
  7. In what ways do you think retirement might be stressful?
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6 replies on “The End of Retirement”

1. Yes, this is. In Spain the birth rate has decreased over the past years, so there’s not enough workers that can secure the pension plan of retired people.
In my case for example, I can not retire until I’m 67 years old by law, two more than expected few years ago.
What do you think of the tendency for “people to expect and need to work past traditional retirement age”?
2. In my opinion, I wouldn’t extend my working life more than needed. In fact, if I could retire earlier I’d do it without any doubt.
How do you picture your retirement in your head?
3. I would plan to do all the things I don’t have time now. For example, to read more, to visit all the museums of the city, to travel more frequently, etc. And maybe to join to an NGO to help others. Why not?
4. I think they likely miss more the atmosphere of keeping touch with your workmates than the tasks they do in the job.
5. For me today. 🙂 I think the earlier you can retire the better. There’s only one life and we all deserve to enjoy it.
6. I would say that it is critical that you are the one that decide when to retire. I know people that have been lay off and then forced to retire at that time and it is a really disgusting experience. Working in a company for 20, for example, and one day you have just 2-3 hours to take your personal belongings and go home with no plans and with a huge psychological damage.
7. When you feel empty and lost.

It’s a pleasure to have you on the Phoneenglish blog! May this exercise help you a great deal in improving your writing skills further.

Take a look at the following sentences and see how they can be improved a bit:

I would say that it is critical that you are the one that decide when to retire. I know people that have been lay off and then forced to retire at that time and it is a really disgusting experience.

I would say that it is critical that you are the one who decides when to retire. I know people who have been laid off and then forced to retire at that time and it is a really devastating experience for them.

Keep doing this exercise and see you skills flourish in no time!

1. Several years ago, mostly all people retired for the rest of their lives. Today is no longer the case, as the inflation and other crisis are “eating” the retirement savings of the people. It is similar in my country, public servants from the administration or for example university teachers, doesn’t want to retire because they like their jobs.
2. I think that it is not fair, because some jobs are really hard to be continued at some age. Someone working on the mining sector for 40 years should not be “forced” by any means to continue working, as their bodies have suffered a lot.
3. I don’t know, still too many years for that.
4. Many people does, especially people who enjoyed their works.
5. Depends on your health, I think the best age is when your body/mind cannot longer continue to work.
6. You have all the time in the world to do whatever you want.
7. People might see you as the person with “too much free time”, so they always rely on you for doing their tasks.

Your efforts in practicing your writing skills is admirable. Keep going!

See how you can revise this sentence a little bit:

Several years ago, mostly all people retired for the rest of their lives. Today is no longer the case, as the inflation and other crisis are “eating” the retirement savings of the people.

Several years ago, most all people retired for the rest of their lives. Today, this is no longer the case, as the inflation and other crises are “eating up” the retirement savings of the people.

Read from you again soon!

I’m sorry Mae. I lost the mobile coverage. Thank you for the class. Have a nice week. Thank you. Best regards.
Yolanda

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