Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, gives a convincing argument of why we all should start doing something to protect ourselves from an epidemic. Listen and judge for yourself.
Preview the vocabulary below, and then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer. When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question. Then read the next question and do the same thing.
hunker down: stay underground global: worldwide catastrophe: action that kills many people virus: microscopic life that can kill missiles: rockets that can deliver bombs microbes: very small life forms deterents: things that stop something from happening epidemic: a widespread disease polio: a childhood disease that causes muscle weakness eradication: destruction, thorough killing Medecins Sans Frontiers: Doctors Without Borders diagnostics: tools to find out about the disease plasma: the liquid part of blood devastating: destroying, killing contagious: able to pass from one person to another urban areas: cities infectious: able to make people sick vaccines: treatments that prevent people from getting a disease pathogen: microorganism that kills reserves: regular people who are all ready to fight expertise: expert knowledge logistics: moving things to where they’re needed simulations: actions that are like the real thing equity: quality of being fair and equal
Carla: I’m thinking of getting involved in a multi-level marketing business. The company has a line of cleaning products which make everything spic and span. I can make a lot of money depending on how hard I work. The sky is the limit. What do you think?
Phil: Right off the bat, I can think of a couple of reasons why that’s not a good idea. First of all, you’ll have to buy inventory and store it in your home so you have it to sell. And what happens if you don’t sell your product? I’ll tell you. You’re up the creek without a paddle. Every month you have to buy more product even if you haven’t sold all your stock.
Carla: Yes, but I’m sure I can make a go of this. At least I want to try.
Phil: I think someone’s trying to pull the wool over your eyes. Most people who go into this kind of business fail.
Carla: Even if that’s true, I think I’ll give it my best shot. I’m tired of not having any money. I just want my piece of the pie.
Phil: All I know is a friend of mine joined a network marketing company and they took him to the cleaners. He spent thousands of dollars with little return. But you know, it’s your funeral. Do what you want.
Carla: Would you consider doing it with me? There would be less risk that way.
Phil: Yea, that’ll be the day!
Carla: Well, if you change your mind, let me know.
Idioms:
• spic and span: very, very clean
• the sky is the limit: there are no limits
• right off the bat: without delay
• up the creek without a paddle: in a terrible situation with no solution
• make a go of: be successful with
• pull the wool over one’s eyes: stop someone from knowing something
• give it one’s best shot: do the best one can do
• piece of the pie: part of the wealth of the world
• take (someone) to the cleaners: take all one’s money
• it’s one’s funeral: it’s one’s future failure
• that’ll be the day: that will never happen
• change one’s mind: change the way one thinks
Notes:
You can say: make a go of this, make a go of it, or make a go of (something)
Example: I know I can make a go of starting my own business.
This exercise tests the following verb tenses: simple present, simple past, past continuous, simple future, present perfect, present perfect continuous, and future continuous.
an American singer, songwriter and actor who has won nine Grammy Awards, one Golden Globe and one Academy Award. This song was written in 1986 by Billy Sternberg and Tom Kelly.
You with the sad eyes don’t be discouraged
Oh I realize it’s hard to take courage
In a world full of people you can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you can make you feel so small
But I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow
Show me a smile then don’t be unhappy
Can’t remember when I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy and you’ve taken all you can bear
You call me up ‘cause you know I’ll be there
And I’ll see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow
If this world makes you crazy and you’ve taken all you can bear
You call me up ‘cause you know I’ll be there
And I’ll see your true colors shining through
See your true colors and that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors, true colors
True colors are beautiful like a rainbow
Vocabulary:
discouraged: feeling like you can’t do something courage: braveness, ability to face danger lose sight of it all: forget your goals all you can bear: as much pain as you can handle
an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who has won five Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. This song, written by Carole King, was recorded in 1971 on his album Mud Slide Slim and became his first #1 hit.
When you’re down and troubled
and you need a helping hand
and nothing whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name
and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running oh yeah baby
to see you again
Winter spring summer or fall
all you have to do is call
and I’ll be there yeah yeah yeah.
You’ve got a friend.
If the sky above you
should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow Keep your head together
and call my name out loud
and soon I will be knocking upon your door
You just call out my name
and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
all you got to do is call
and I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend?
When people can be so cold.
They’ll hurt you and desert you.
Well, they’ll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don’t you let them.
You just call out my name
and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don’t you know that
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you’ve got to do is call.
Lord, I’ll be there, yes I will.
You’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend. Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend. Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend.
Vocabulary:
whoa: [an expression of emphasis or importance] brighten up: make happier keep your head together: stay calm (old idiom) ain’t: isn’t (slang) cold: unfriendly desert: leave soul: spirit
an American singer-songwriter and musician. Since he started singing in the 1960s, Neil has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. This song was co-written in 1982 by Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.
Come back again
I want you to stay next time ‘Cause sometimes this world ain’t kind
When people get lost like you and me
I just made a friend
A friend is someone you need
But now that he had to go away
I still hear the words that he might say
Turn on your heartlight
Let it shine wherever you go
Just let it make a happy glow
For all the world to see
Turn on your heartlight
In the middle of a young boy’s dream
Don’t wake me up too soon
We’re gonna take a ride across the moon
You and me
He’s looking for home
Yea ’cause everyone needs a place
And home’s the most excellent place of all
And I’ll be right here if you should call me
Turn on your heartlight
Let it shine wherever you go
Just let it make a happy glow
For all the world to see
Turn on your heartlight
In the middle of a young boy’s dream
Don’t wake me up too soon
We’re gonna take a ride across the moon
Turn on you heartlight now
Turn on you heartlight now
Turn on you heartlight now
Vocabulary:
’cause: because ain’t: isn’t (slang) glow: shine like a light gonna: going to
Jonathan: I love my job, but my boss and I have been atodds since the beginning of the month when I took a week off to be at the hospital with my sick mother. He didn’t want to give me the time off, but I would never let anything come between my mother and me, not even my job.
Marissa: I would have done the same thing. My bottom line has always been that family comes first. How is your mother?
Jonathan: She’s fine now. The doctor gave her aclean bill of health, but she’s not off the hookyet. She still needs to get her strength back.
Marissa: I’m so glad to hear that. Now you have to bury the hatchet with your boss. You don’t want him to giveyouthe boot.
Jonathan: No I don’t. I thought I had patched things up with him, but I think he’s still angry with me.
Marissa: You have a way with words. I think you should bite the bullet and talk to him again, no ifs, ands or buts.
Jonathan: You’re right. I don’t want there to be any bad blood between us. I’ll try to make it right.
Idioms:
• at odds in disagreement about something • come between cause trouble between two people • bottom line most important thing • a clean bill of health an assurance of good health • off the hook no longer having a problem • bury the hatchet no longer be angry with someone • give (someone) the boot fire (someone) from a job • patch things up improve a relationship by doing something nice • a way with words an ability to use words to achieve a goal • bite the bullet do a difficult and unpleasant task • no ifs, ands or buts no excuses • bad blood very unfriendly relationship
Notes:
Give (someone) the boot is the opposite of get the boot, which means “get fired.”
Negotiating with someone means bargaining or trading to get what you want while at the same time giving the other person what he wants. This may sound easy, but unless you follow a few rules, things will not go very well for you, and you’ll give more than you get. Think of negotiating as a game that you can win because you have learned the rules. Using these rules, you have a better chance of getting what you want. Here they are:
Rule 1:
Before you start the process, do some research online to find out what a reasonable price for the item is. If you are selling, you want to start your negotiation at a price above that; if you’re buying, you want to start at a price below that. Let me explain by using an example. You want to sell your used smartphone. If you determine that a used smart phone is worth $200, then you want to ask $250 for it. Someone would love to buy it from you for $150. If you asked for only $200, which is the real price you’re willing to sell it for, the other person would still only offer you $150, knowing that you would come down a little to meet his offer. You would then probably sell it for around $175, which is not what you want. You need to give yourself some “wiggle room” and ask for more than you’re willing to take.
Rule 2:
Get the other person to tell you his opening price first. This gives you an advantage because you now know his starting position before he knows yours. If his number is $50 lower than you want, then counter his offer with a price that’s $50 higher than you want. He says, “I’ll give you $150 for the phone.” You look dissatisfied, and after pausing for five seconds, you say, “I can’t do that. I’ll give it to you for $250.” Looking dissatisfied is a major part of negotiating. The more dissatisfied you look, the higher the other person will make his second offer.
Rule 3:
When the other person comes up in his counter offer, you come down by the same amount. Continuing with our example, he now says, “Well, I could come up another $25. How about $175?” You counter by looking disappointed again, and then say, “I could come down to $225, but that’s as low as I’m willing to go. By saying this last part, you’re telling him that the negotiations are getting tougher, and you’re not going to come down much more. If he’s not an experienced negotiator, he may agree to pay your price of $225. However, if he understands that the negotiation isn’t finished yet, he’ll suggest “splitting the difference.” He’ll say, “I’ll tell you what. Let’s split the difference, and we’ll both be happy.” At that point you can agree to sell the phone at $200.
Rule 4:
If he doesn’t seem willing to split the difference, then you can offer a little something extra to make him feel like he’s getting a good deal. You could say, “I’d be willing to throw in the phone case if you’ll agree to $200.” Often, this is enough to seal the deal.
Rule 5:
If there’s a long silence in the negotiation, do not say anything. The first person who speaks is the person who’s willing to make a concession and meet the other person’s price.
Rule 6:
The last rule is that you can’t seem desperate to make a deal. You must always look like you’re willing to walk away with no deal. Sometimes if you’re not happy with the price, walking away is the only thing you can do.
So there are the six simple rules that you can use the next time you negotiate with someone. Of course, practice makes perfect, so go out into the world and practice this process until you get good at it. Being a good negotiator will save you or make you lots of money in a short time.
Click on the audio recording below to hear the above lesson.
Vocabulary:
bargaining: the process of agreeing on a price. process: the steps you take to do something reasonable: correct for both buying and selling item: the thing that is being sold. determine: decide through research wiggle room: room to move up or down advantage: opportunity for success that the other person doesn’t have counter: say your price in response to his price dissatisfied: not happy tougher: harder splitting the difference: going half way between his price and yours throw in: include seal: successfully conclude concession: a thing that is given up desperate: having an urgent need deal: agreement
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the vocabulary above on the audio file below.
bathe: to get washed in a tub She bathes her baby everyday. He only bathes once a week.
bury: to put in the ground after death They buried him next to his wife. He told me he wanted to be buried in his home country.
clear: to make empty The police cleared the room after the shooting. Everyone should help to clear the table after dinner.
cough: to quickly and noisily expel air He coughed as he entered the smoky room. The first time she tried a cigarette, she coughed continually.
excuse: to forgive, overlook Please excuse me. I must leave now. She excused herself for making him wait.
fool: to make someone believe something false, trick She had to fool him to get him to his own surprise birthday party. He fooled me into believing that I was too late.
knock: to hit with your knuckles to make noise I wonder who is knocking on my front door. Knock three times on the floor if you want me to come up.
polish: to make shiny I asked you to polish the piano last week. Did you do it? He should polish his shoes before going to his interview.
retire: to stop working because of age or finances. He retired after selling his Internet company. Do you plan to retire when you reach the age of 65?
scream: to make a loud, high sound She screamed in surprise as her boyfriend got down on one knee. He heard someone scream next door, so he called the police.
slip: to slide by accident I slipped on the ice and fell on my face. The soap slipped from her hands and fell into the sink.
tow: to pull They towed her car to the nearest service station. He always had a place to sleep because of the trailer he towed behind his car.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
