节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2014-03-25
难易度:Medium
关键字:temptation, access, moreover, check-out, emergency fund
Hi again, friends.
Today we are learning more about the pros and cons of using credit cards.
Do you use a credit card?
Do you ever use it when there's an emergency?
Or do you have an emergency fund?
Amy feels safer having an emergency fund.
But Joyce feels safer knowing she can use her credit card in case of an
emergency.
She also thinks money is less likely to get stolen if you have a credit card
because you don't carry around too much cash.
What do you think?
Let's continue with the rest of the conversation now.
(Music).
Cash or Credit Card?
But what if your card gets stolen?
That can be worse than losing cash.
Not really.
You can cancel your card.
And the company covers most of the cost of things bought with a stolen card.
If cash gets stolen, it's gone!
Moreover, many cards offer rewards like store discounts or points you can trade
for things like meals or movie tickets.
Yes, they do give out points, but most people don't use them.
I think they just forget.
Maybe.
Well, I'm done, so let's get in line at the check-out.
And I'm going to use my credit card.
That's your choice, but I'm sticking with cash.
(Chinese).
And now let's get back to our teachers.
Thank you, Michelle.
And thank you, ladies, for a wonderful conversation.
You brought up many good points, Joyce and Amy.
Yes, they did.
At the beginning of this section, Amy says: What if your card gets stolen?
That can be worse than losing cash.
"What if...?" That's a good phrase.
You could also say: What would you do if...?
Or what would the world be like if...?
Or what would happen if...?
But all of these questions can be shortened to What if...?
And we call that a hypothetical question.
Yes, I know it's a big word, but it's a word that describes most "what if"
questions.
Why? Because it means uncertain.
Whatever follows "what if" has not happened.
Or because the answer is uncertain.
Hypothetical, H-Y-P-O-T-H-E-T-I-C-A-L.
An example of a hypothetical question is... let's see, if... if you were a
robot, would you want to know?
Hey, Carolyn, if you were a robot, would you want to know?
But... I'm not a robot, Gabe.
But it's a hypothetical question.
So what's your answer?
I... I guess I would want to know if I was a robot.
Then I at least would know that my decisions were not my own, so it would be
easier to relax.
Hmm, Gabe, what would you be doing now if you did not grow up in Taiwan?
But I did grow up here.
Gabe, it's a hypothetical question.
OK, OK. I guess I would be in America somewhere with a job in acting or
something similar.
Oh. These are fun.
Friends, think of some hypothetical questions to ask your friends.
They can be fun.
Well, back to the lesson.
Amy's hypothetical question is: What if your card gets stolen?
This hasn't happened yet, but she says it can be worse than losing cash.
It can be, but it doesn't have to be.
Losing cash could be worse than losing a card.
Something can be, add an adjective and then the word "than..." Let's have fun
with this sentence pattern.
OK.
Watching a movie at home can be more fun than going out with friends.
Right. It's not always more fun, but it can be more fun.
Hmm. Good shoes can be cheaper online than in a shoe store.
OK. So they might be cheaper in a shoe store sometimes, but they can be cheaper
online.
So when you say something can be, it really depends on other things.
So if you don't cancel your credit card right away, having your card stolen
could be worse than losing cash.
But Joyce perhaps thinks having your cash stolen is worse, at least because with
a credit card you can cancel it.
And she says the company covers most of the cost of things bought with a stolen
card.
The credit card company covers the cost.
That means they give you back the amount that was stolen.
Really? Is that true?
Well, in some cases, yes.
Well, Joyce says if cash gets stolen, it is gone.
What she means is you will never see it again.
And then she lists another pro of having a credit card.
Many cards offer rewards like store discounts or points.
Good... point.
Good point, hey.
But as Amy says, most people don't know about these rewards.
So if you're considering getting a credit card, make sure you do your research
and see what kinds of rewards you can get with that company.
Well, it looks like Joyce is done.
She's done shopping.
And she's done with this conversation.
But she has made up her mind to use her credit card.
She has.
And now they are going to get in line at the check-out.
Sometimes we call that the check-out counter.
It's where you purchase your items.
And they are going to get in line.
After you're done shopping and you need to pay for your items, you may have to
wait in a line of other people so that you can do that.
First you must get in line.
You might say in a friendly way like Joyce: Let's get in line.
But sometimes people are rude.
Sometimes I'm not sure there is a line or at least I don't see other people
lining up, and so I stand there, and someone behind me says: Hey, get in line.
And so I have to apologize and get in line.
Well, these girls are going to get in line, and they will be paying with
different things.
But right now, let's see what Liz has to say in the Grammar Gym.
And then we'll watch a review skit and join Linda for the Editor's Summary.
Welcome to the Grammar Gym, friends.
Thanks for joining me here.
My name is Liz.
In today's lesson we see this statement:
That's your choice, but I'm sticking with cash.
Notice the verb: sticking.
Normally we use "sticking" or "stick" to talk about using glue or tape to make
something completely connected to something else.
But in the case of today's sentence, there's no glue or tape involved.
Instead, to stick with something or to stick to something is a phrase native
speakers use to mean to continue with something and not change at all.
In other words, "I'm sticking with cash" means I'm going to continue paying with
cash.
OK. Let's have a look at some other example sentences.
This advertisement claims that if you stick with their special diet, you will
lose twenty kilograms in one month.
Or: I'm just going to stick with the original plan.
I'm too tired to think of another idea.
Want more examples?
Then check out today's Grammar Tip section in your Studio Classroom magazine.
That's all the time we have for today.
This is Liz from the Grammar Gym.
See you next time.
You know, you're buying so many things.
I know. I have a credit card.
A credit card? No! Stop!
You'll go into debt with every purchase.
It's no big deal.
I usually pay off my entire bill at the end of the month.
Well, no. You should pay up front.
Then you know how much money you have.
But I can track my spending with my credit card.
But the interest rates are high.
You may end up owing more than you can pay back.
It'll be fine. My card has a limit.
Besides, my parents are cosigners.
You would force your parents to pay?
What? No. No. That's my backup plan.
Like I said, I plan to pay my whole bill every month.
Well, that's good.
But credit cards present a temptation to spend.
But they're really good in an emergency.
Yeah. But you can have an emergency fund.
No, no. Credit cards can be accessed easily.
And I don't have to worry about someone stealing my cash.
Oh, what if someone steals your credit card?
Then I'll cancel my card and get all my money back.
And besides, my card offers points.
Points? Good point.
But I'm using cash.
And I'm using my credit card.
Well then, let's shop more!
Yeah! Let's go.
Today we see that Amy and Joyce are continuing their discussion of credit cards.
Amy thinks that credit cards are a big temptation to just spend money even if
you don't have it.
But Joyce wants one in case of an emergency.
And she also talks about how there are rewards like store discounts and things
like that.
But Amy points out that most people never use them anyway.
Finally they end up in the check-out line, each still sticking with their
original choice.
Thank you, Linda.
We've learned a lot today and the past two days about cash and credit.
And of course we will see you next time right here at StudioClassroom.