Name:____________________________________________________ Date:__________

Teacher:__________________________________________________ Level:__________

ACHIEVE 2
UNIT 2 TEST

The Most Dangerous Job in America

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you want a safe job, you
should work in education, training or libraries. Per 100,000 workers, there’s a 0.3
fatality rate.
Compare that to the five most dangerous jobs in the U.S. and their annual fatality rates
5 per 100,000 workers:
Occupation Fatality rate Ranking
Farmers and ranchers 39.5 5
Structural iron and steel workers 45.5 4
Aircraft pilots 70.7 3
Logging workers 86.4 2
Fishermen 111.8 1

Fishing is the most dangerous job in the United States, with a death rate 60 times
greater than the rate of 3.3 per 100,000 for the overall American workforce. And the
workers in the greatest danger are crab fishermen in the waters between Alaska and
Russia, in the Bering Sea.
10 “It’s a terrible job,” says Tim Freeman, age 28, who has been a crab fisherman in
Alaska for 10 years. “My mom wanted me to be a doctor. I should have gone to
college, but that just didn’t work out. Fishing is risky and I’ve lost a couple of friends.
But the money is good.”
What makes crab fishing so dangerous? The first reason is the cold. Crab fishing takes
15 place in the winter, between October and January when there are frequent storms.
With the decks covered in water during a storm, it’s easy to fall off the boat. “And once
you’re in the water, you freeze to death fast,” says Freeman. The equipment is another
problem. “My best friend nearly died last year because a long rope wrapped around his
leg. We threw the rope in the water and he went with it. He could have died, but he was
20 lucky.”
Another risk factor is the hours: Crab fishermen often work 18- to 20-hour shifts, most
of that time in darkness. Alaskan winters may have only a few hours of sunlight a day.
And, finally, if you get hurt onboard a fishing boat, you can’t go to a hospital
immediately. You have to wait for the boat to return to Alaska.
25 “My dad’s an electrician and I could work with him,” Freeman says. “I need to think that
through and I might do it. But not now. I’m leaving next month on a boat. I might make
$50,000 for one week’s work. It’s worth it.”

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Read the text again. Choose the e) He might work with his father.
correct answers.
1 Per 100,000 workers, what is the Circle the correct alternatives.
fatality rate for teachers? 6 When some people get older, they
a) 3.3 think about the mistakes they made and
b) 45.5 the things they ___ done, but didn’t do.
c) 0.3 a) wanted to
d) 39.5 b) had to
e) 111.8 c) must have
d) has to
2 What does Tim Freeman mean when e) should have
he says, “I’ve lost a couple of friends.”
a) His friends died. 7 Starting next year, the government
b) His friends became doctors. ___ require all fishermen to use safety
c) His friends don’t want to talk to him. equipment, but it isn’t sure yet.
d) His friends are good fishermen. a) might
e) His friends don’t know where he is. b) must not
c) could have
3 What is one reason crab fishing is not d) can’t
dangerous? e) should have
a) Because fishermen can get tangled
in the equipment. 8 If he makes a lot of money, he ___
b) Because most fishermen didn’t have buy a bigger house.
a college education. a) has to
c) Because fishermen work long shifts. b) can’t
d) Because it’s dark most of the time. c) may have
e) Because there’s a lot of water on the d) will be able to
decks. e) could have

4 Why is it a serious problem if a 9 Before deciding to work on a fishing

fisherman is injured on a fishing boat? boat, you should ___ carefully. There
a) There aren´t many hospitals in are a lot of serious issues to consider.
Alaska. a) follow through
b) The boat takes 18-20 hours to return b) work it out
to shore. c) think it through
c) Other fishermen could also get hurt.  d) settle on
d) Fishing boats don´t have the right e) end up
medical equipment.
e) Because injured fishermen have to 10 He tried working on a farm but it
wait for the boat to return to Alaska. didn’t ___ . He had an accident and had
to quit.
5 Why does Tim want to go fishing next a) figure out
season? b) work out
a) He might make more friends. c) stack up against
b) He might make a lot of money. d) break down
c) He might become an electrician. e) settle on
A00115

d) He would be able to buy a house.

3

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