节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-02-10
难易度:High
关键字:discomfort, screech, extremely, obligated, bring to a halt
(Music).
Hello, everybody.
Welcome to Studio Classroom Worldwide.
Thanks for joining us today.
And Ryan, as always, good to see you.
Oh, you too, Steve.
But right now I've got a difficult question for you.
No problem. What is it?
Well, I have this really good business idea, and I want to start my own
business.
My business would be to help students pick a university and plan their course
schedules.
I think I'll call it Course Creations.
Hmm, OK. That sounds good, Ryan. But what is your question?
Oh, um... Well, starting a business takes a lot of money... money that I don't
have.
Would you be willing to let me borrow some money to get it started?
I'll pay you back.
Oh, Ryan, Ryan, I'm not sure about that.
You see, I value our friendship too much.
Well, yeah, you're right.
We're friends, so you'll let me borrow the money.
Oh, thanks.
No.
No? Why not?
Well, Ryan, money can take a toll on friendships and in family relationships.
It can? But how?
Well, why don't we turn to the top of page 24 and take a look.
Friends, Family and Money.
Dealing with difficult money situations.
Mixing money and personal relationships can create all kinds of discomfort.
On one hand, family and friends can provide crucial support during a financial
crisis.
On the other hand, relationships can be easily damaged by money - especially
when there are different expectations.
Money may make the world go around, but it can bring friendships to a screeching
halt.
The Situation:
Your business is doing extremely well - until your friends and family start
asking for huge discounts and special services.
The Solution:
Uncomfortable feelings that arise from doing business with friends and family
don't just go one way.
Ryan, what are you doing?
Well, I'm counting all the money that my friend gave me for my new business.
Oh, is that a good idea?
Well, I'm not sure.
Counting is fine.
No, not counting your money.
Borrowing money from a friend, is that a good idea?
Oh. Well, perhaps we should find out by taking a look at today's BUSINESS
article.
It's called Friends, Family and Money.
It talks about dealing with difficult money situations.
So mixing these things together can make finances kind of hard.
Right. It can be hard on relationships when you're dealing with money.
So let's take a look at how this can actually be bad.
That's right. Mixing money and personal relationships can create all kinds of
discomfort.
Oh. Now that's actually very true.
The word "discomfort" here simply means uncomfortable.
It means there is no comfort.
So if you are dealing with money in relationships, it can make things
uncomfortable.
That's right.
Maybe things get a little bit awkward when you have money and friends and family
all mixed together.
On one hand, family and friends can provide crucial support during a financial
crisis.
So this would be a good thing.
Yeah. That is support that is needed.
That's what the word "crucial" means, especially during a crisis.
That is... that means that very bad things are happening.
But on the other hand, relationships can be easily damaged by money - especially
when there are different expectations.
So these are two situations.
And we use the phrase "on one hand, and on the other hand" to talk about two
different things.
Right. Now there's a phrase we've heard.
That is "Money can make the world go around." But there is a bad side too.
It can also bring friendships to a screeching halt.
Now first, Kaylah, let's talk about the word "screeching." What does that mean?
Well, screeching is a very high-pitched sound that usually you hear when you are
stopping tires really quickly like on a car or on your bicycle.
It's a high-pitched squeal as something comes to a stop.
Yeah. It's a very loud, annoying sound.
Now if you "bring something to a halt," it means you make it stop very quickly.
And so if you are bringing friendships to a screeching halt, that means they
stop quickly and annoyingly.
That's right. It's not a good thing.
But let's visit the more Information Station to find out just a little bit more.
Money, money, money.
Bryan, it seems like money is the source of so many arguments between friends
and family.
I know, Bill.
If people only knew how to manage their money better, then a lot of these
problems wouldn't happen.
So to help everybody learn how to manage their money better, let's go over to...
Information Station.
Bill, what is Tango Bear doing here?
Well, Tango Bear is here because he knows how to manage his money.
See, we don't pay him very much, but he's rich, rich, rich.
Tango Bear is rich?
Ha! I don't believe it.
How can Tango Bear be rich, rich, rich?
Well, there are three key reasons, Bryan.
One, when Tango Bear gets paid, the first thing he does is he puts 10 percent of
his pay into savings.
See?
OK. I'm surprised that the bank allows a bear to have a savings account.
Oh. Well, he's one of their best customers.
Now the second reason, credit cards.
Tango Bear only has one credit card, not two.
No, not two, only one.
And he only uses it for emergencies, airplane tickets and when he rents a car.
Tango Bear buys airplane tickets and rents cars?
Certainly! He travels all around the world.
Now the third reason, no impulse purchases.
Just watch.
Aren't these cool?
Don't you want these now?
See? Tango Bear avoids impulse purchases.
Oh, you mean he doesn't buy things without thinking about them first.
No. That's right.
Tango Bear has a budget.
And he controls his... his spending.
Well, you know, Bill, I'm a little bit over my budget this month.
Hey! Hi, Tango Bear. Could I borrow $500?
I promise I'll pay it back.
Oh, OK.
Oh, I forgot to tell you.
That's the fourth key reason.
Tango Bear never lends money.
Well, we'll see you next time here at...
Information Station.
OK. So we know that money can be hard on relationships.
So let's take a look at a couple of situations and see what you can do to avoid
problems.
The first situation, Kaylah, what is it?
Your business is doing extremely well - until your friends and family start
asking for huge discounts and special services.
OK. So this situation means you have a business here. It's doing extremely well.
The word "extremely" simply means very.
And your family is asking for some special discounts or services.
Well, we'll take a look at the solution.
Uncomfortable feelings that arise from doing business with friends and family
don't just go one way.
We'll take a look at that after the break.
But first, let's visit the Chat Room.
So with the money from my pay raise, I bought a new car.
And now it's so much easier to get around.
I don't have to worry about my car breaking down all the time.
That's great, Ken.
Hey, that reminds me of a saying you may have heard:
Money makes the world go round.
Hmm, I haven't heard that one.
What does it mean?
Why don't we go to Doris for an explanation.
OK.
When someone says that something makes the world go around,
they're using an idiom to say that thing is a powerful force that causes
everyday life to go on as normal.
The two most common uses of this idiom are the sayings:
"Love makes the world go around," and "Money makes the world go around." Which
one of those things has more power to influence our lives?
I vote for love.
Hmm, it's kind of funny that the two uses of that idiom have such different
meanings.
But I noticed that Doris said that the idiom is to make the world go "around,"
but you said earlier that money makes the world go "round." Is there a
difference?
Good point, Ken.
In casual conversations, we sometimes drop the "a" from "around" when we're
using this idiom.
I see.
Hey, speaking of idioms, I heard another one recently: What goes around comes
around.
Now that saying means that the way you act will eventually affect you.
For example, if you're kind of people, they will be kind to you.
But if you spread rumors about people, they will stop trusting you and maybe
spread rumors about you too.
Hmm, that's very true.
Hey, I thought of a third use of the phrase "go around." Don't people sometimes
say that there's enough of something to go around?
Sure.
When there is enough to go around, it means that there is enough for everyone.
If you're hosting a pizza party, you can reassure your guests that there's
enough pizza to go around.
So everybody will get some pizza.
Right.
Well, congratulations on your pay raise, Ken.
And I hope you enjoy your new car.
Thanks. I will.