Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing: User's Guide

Exercise 2
Samantha loved her birthday. It was on Halloween! This year she invited her entire class.
Her birthday cake was going to be a giant orange cake shaped like a jack-o’-lantern. They were
going to play “Pin the Sheet on the Ghost” and eat candied apples! But what costume should she
wear? She thought and thought. Her birthday got closer. Finally, her birthday was the next day. She
still had no ideas!
Her mother and father helped her think. Did she want to be a princess? A clown? A fairy? No, none
of those ideas was just right. Finally, when Samantha was getting very sad, her cat Collette jumped
in her lap.
Suddenly Samantha knew what she would be! And at her birthday party the next day, Samantha did
indeed have the best costume. Her costume had two little black ears, white fuzzy whiskers, and a
long black tail! What was she?
Exercise 3
How you dress can say quite a bit about you. This fact couldn’t be more pertinent than when you
begin a job search. Remember, the person interviewing you is trying to get to know as much about
you as possible in a very short amount of time, sometimes in one-half hour or less. He or she is
looking closely at every detail about you to help him or her make the final decision about whether
you will be right for the job. Your style of dress doesn’t make your career, but it helps.
Generally, if you have a question about an outfit, don’t wear it. In most cases a more traditional
“look” is the wisest choice. A clean, crisp appearance is always better than sporting the latest
fashion craze.
Whether you choose a skirt, dress, or pants (for women, of course!) or a coat and tie or suit (for
men), make sure that these clothes are freshly cleaned and pressed and that the colors are flattering
to you. A fresh, uncluttered appearance might well give the indication that you perform fresh,
uncluttered work. This theory might sound silly or strange, but think how many times you have
judged someone by how he or she is dressed (“Oh, he was just wearing old tennis shoes and ugly
shorts!”). So, next time you head out the door to meet someone important, stop by the mirror and
give yourself the once-over!
53