What mistake did Chris make when he went to apply for the job?

The Pursuit of Happiness

Chris Gardner is a salesman but the sales record is not good and it has brought his family in financial difficulties. His wife, Linda leaves and moves to New York. Chris is left to raise his 5 year-old son, Christopher on his own. He lands an unpaid internship in a brutally competitive stockbroker-training program, where only one in twenty interns will be hired. But without a salary, Chris and his son are evicted from their apartment and are forced to sleep on the streets, in homeless shelters and even behind the locked doors of a metro station bathroom. With self-confidence and the love and trust from his son, Chris Garden overcomes his obstacles to become a Wall Street legend.

to raise – to bring up children – воспитывать детей

to land smth - добиться (чего-л.); выиграть

internship - стажировка

competitive - соперничающий, конкурентный

to be evicted – быть выселенным

self-confidence – самоуверенность

to overcome some obstacles – преодолевать препятствия

Tasks for the film

Answer the questions

1. What type of the film is it?

Action	Adventure	Animation	Comedy
Horror	Mystery	Drama	Thriller

2. How can you describe Chris’ life?

3. What is his attitude to his son? How does he treat him?

4. What is his job?

5. What are the two questions that Chris asks the stock broker who owns the red car?

6. Why does he have quarrels with his wife?

7. What job does Chris want to get?

8. What can Chris do in comparison with the man in the taxi?

9. Why did he get to the police-office?

10. Why does he appear in such clothes on the job interview? What is Chris wearing to the interview?

11. What does Chris do when he first walks into the interview room?

12. How did Chris do in his high school? How many students were there in his class?

13. How does Jay describe Chris’s dressing?

Did Chris make a good impression at the job interview? Why or why not?

If you were Chris, would you accept the offer from the company when you knew it was unpaid and there was no a reasonable promise of a job? Why or why not?

14. How can you describe his internship?

Chris has successfully reached a potential client and is offered a chance for an appointment. However, he misses it because his boss asks him to park the car for him. In order to get a second chance from the potential client, Chris takes his son with him to visit the client at weekend. Will Chris get his first client from this chance? When they are walking to Mr. Ribbon’s house, Christopher asks Chris if they are going to the football game. How does Chris reply to his son?

15. How does Christopher finally interpret the difference of the meaning between ‘probably’ and ‘possibly’ in term of the chance of going to the football game?

16. What does Chris say when Mr. Ribbon asks why Chris shows up in front of his door?

17. At the football game, the rich client told Chris that he will not use his services. However, this was actually a lucky day for Chris. Why?

Chris’s money has been taken by the government for paying taxes. He is broke and they are evicted from the motel. Chris and his son are homeless and now they have nowhere to stay. How can Chris and his son face all these difficulties and go on their life?

18. Where do Chris and his son go after they discover their things are thrown out of their motel room?

19. After pressing the black button and opening their eyes, what does Chris tell Christopher that he can see?

20. Chris says to Christopher that they are cavemen and they have to find a cave in order to be safe. Where do they finally stay?

21. If you were Chris, what would you feel and would you continue to work in the company for an unpaid internship?

Six months have passes and it is the last day of Chris’s internship. He is called to enter the conference room. Can Chris be the one who gets the official employment from the company after the internship? What do you think?

22. How does Chris’s boss respond to him when he says he wears a shirt for the last day of the internship?

23. What does his boss almost forget?

24. Where does Chris go after seeing his boss in the conference room?

25. In your opinion, what was Chris’ worst experience?

26. Chris has become successful and rich at the end. Do you think he has pursued happiness now? And, what does happiness mean to you and how do you pursue it?

27. How would you describe the personality, the character of Chris?

28. What is the message of the story?

Choose the correct answer

Where did Chris live?

a. San Diego

b. New York

c. Los Angeles

d. San Francisco

What did Chris sell?

a. medicine

b. computer scanners

c. clothing