Working Retired

Answers:

1. At the age of 18, you are eligible to vote. Later at age 21, you are allowed to consume alcoholic drinks. The age 35 allows an individual to campaign as a political leader and 65 is the retirement age.

2. Some are doing so because they have to in order to support themselves in a world where living costs are increasing day by day, especially health care costs and security payments. Some are still working because they enjoy their job so much that they are not willing to leave the working world. They are constantly filled with new ideas and inspirations for their job.

3. The phrase implies that Mr Burson is constantly thinking and inventing new approaches to his work. He is clearly not bored with his work and loves it so much to the extent he still wants to donate ideas that may improve his work.

4. Despite the fact that Americans have the right of 13 vacation days, they allow more than twice as many to go unused. Statistics in 2006 have shown that 23% of the Americans surveyed checked their email and voice mail while away from work, compared to the 16% in 2005.

5. The author says it in a matter-of-fact tone, in a tone to emphasize the incredulity of the matter.

6. When someone calls their 70-year-old parents, they find that their parents are too busy in the office to look after their grandchildren.

7. This means that the idea of "retirement" is no longer practised in the modern society. The image itself - a painted picture of what retirement would be like - should prepare itself for its own "retirement", for it will soon disappear.