Listening Challenge : Day 7

Elementary: The Office - Virus

A: Oh great! This stupid computer froze again! That’s the third time today! Hey Samuel, can you come take a look at my PC? It’s acting up again. It must have a virus or something.

B: Just give me a second; I’ll be right up.

B: I ran a virus scan on your computer, and it turns out that you have a lot of infected files!

A: But I’m quite careful when I’m browsing the internet, I have no idea how I could have picked up a virus.

B: Well, you have to make sure that your anti-virus software is updated regularly; yours wasn’t up to date, that’s probably what was causing your problems.

A: Ok. Anything else?

B: Yeah, try not to kick or hit the computer!

A: Um yeah... Sorry about that.

Key Vocabulary
freeze - to stop working properly (to freeze - froze - frozen) = Зависнуть (о компьютере)
take a look - see, revise = взглянуть, проверить
act up - not working properly =барахлить, плохо работать
be right up - go upstairs soon = подходить, подниматься
pick up - get, acquire = подобрать, подхватить
browse - look, search= просматривать
up to date - having all the most recent information = современный, обновленный

Supplementary Vocabulary
monitor - computer screen = монитор
computer tech - person in a company who fixes computers = техник,администратор
corrupt file - damaged or broken computer file that can’t be opened = поврежденный файл
surf the net - look for information on the internet = сидеть в интернете
web browser - computer program that allows you to go on the internet - веб браузер

Intermediate : The Office - What do you do?

A: Oh, look, there’s Caroline and her boyfriend. She’s always going on about him at the office. Oh, great, they saw us. They’re coming this way. B: Oh, man... C: Jessica! Arthur! Hi! I’d like you to meet my boyfriend Greg, he’s the V. P. of quality and safety for a top Fortune 500 food company. A: Nice to meet you. This is my husband, Arthur. B: Hey, how’s it going? D: Hello. A: Caroline talks about you all the time. I guess you must be pretty busy at work. D: Well, yeah, a V. P. position is not easy, you know! I implement policies and procedures nationwide of various departments, as well as train junior managers in FDA and EPA regulations. I also have to oversee daily operations of our quality control for the entire East Coast that alone means I have 1500 employees under me. B: Wow, yeah... that sounds exciting. D: And what about you, Arthur? What do you do for a living? B: Oh, I’m a Top Gun pilot!

Key Vocabulary
go on about - talk about something a lot = говорить о чем-то много; нести (чушь)
Fortune 500 - top 500 companies, rated by revenue = топ 500 самых успешных компаний
to implement - begin to do something, put into action = выполнять, осуществлять;
nationwide - in the whole country - по всей стране
oversee - watch and direct to make sure a job is done correctly - контролировать
quality control - checking goods to make sure that they are good enough to sell
under me - working for me - "под мной" 1500 сотрудников What do you do for a living? - чем зарабатываешь на жизнь?

Supplementary Vocabulary
develop relationships - make good relationships - развивать отношения
handle complaints - look after or take care of complaints -разбираться с жалобами
coordinate - make arrangements or plans with a group of people
monitor - watch and check - контролировать
supervise - be in charge of something , watch and direct - управлять и контролировать
ensure - make sure - обеспечивать, проверять

Adanced: Global View - Investing in Emerging Markets

A: Dad, I’d like to borrow some money.

B: Sure, Johnny, how much do you need? Five bucks?

A: Come on, Dad, I need thirty thousand. I wanna get into the market. You know, I’m tired of hearing all this news about the economic downturn, the inevitable recession, people stuffing their money in their mattresses. I look at this as an opportunity. This is a chance for me to get a jump start on building my nest egg.

B: I don’t know about that; with all the uncertainty in the markets right now, it would be a very unwise decision to invest. I don’t know if you’re aware son, but there has been a lot of turmoil in the markets recently. There have already been half a million layoffs in the last few months, and we have no idea how the proposed stimulus package will impact the economy. There’s just too much instability. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable investing in this climate.

A: But look at it this way, every challenge is an opportunity. And anyway, I’m not talking about investing in the domestic market. There are emerging markets that promise great returns. Look at China, for example; they have 1.4 billion people, half a billion of whom have recently entered the middle class. Here alone, the aggregate demand for consumer goods represents an amazing wealth generating opportunity.

B: Come on son, you’re looking at this too naively, the Chinese market has exhibited a great deal of instability, and their currency has been devalued by almost a whole percentage point.

A: Fine, then! If that’s the way you feel, so be it. But you’re losing out on a great opportunity here. I’m going to go hit up Mom for the cash.

Key Vocabulary
inevitable - unavoidable = неизбежный
nest egg - money that is saved to pay for something in the future, usually a house, or retirement = деньги, отложенные на чёрный день; первая сумма, отложенная для какой-л. определённой цели
turmoil - a state of confusion, disorder, disturbance = суматоха, беспорядок
stimulus package - amount of money the government uses to improve the economy - пакет стимулирующих мер (деньги, которые государство использует для улучшения экономики)
instability - state of not being stable, being likely to change - нестабильность
emerging market - nations undergoing quick industrialization - страны с развивающейся экономикой
devalue - reduced in value - обесценивать
hit up - ask for money - просить (деньги)

Supplementary Vocabulary
depreciation - an decrease in the value of something = снижение стоимости, обесценивание
appreciation - an increase in the value of something = оценка
inflation - an continual increase in price - инфляция
developing economy - growing economy - развивающаяся экономика
rapidly developing country - countries undergoing quick industrialization = быстро развивающаяся страна
industrialized nation - nations that have developed factories and businesses - промышленно развитая страна