Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Crowdfunding can be a beautiful thing. Crowdfunding is when someone or a group of people raises money from many donations online. This money could be used to support a project, good cause, or personal trouble. If someone has a pet dog that needs surgery and doesn’t have the money, they might use crowdfunding. If someone has a business project, crowdfunding is an excellent way of raising support.
But, what if someone uses crowdfunding in a… tacky way? What if their idea comes up a little short? In one instance, a man (who some might call a knucklehead) used crowdfunding to pay for his girlfriend’s engagement ring. What next? Will he use crowdfunding to pay for his honeymoon? Crowdfunding is a great idea for people who really need the money. But should we really use it for anything at all?
Dominique and Andy have interesting opinions about crowdfunding. Listen as they do a group huddle in today’s English lesson.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
Andy_H: Alright, Dominique. Let’s get a huddle together. I have to tell you about this knucklehead. So, there’s a guy who used crowdfunding to pay for his wife’s, his girlfriend’s, engagement ring.
Dominique: Oh my gosh.
Andy_H: Do you believe that? I mean, how tacky is that? Isn’t the point of buying an engagement ring a sacrifice?
Dominique: So… am I going to get an invite to this wedding? Because if I’m going to help put in money for his wedding ring… I mean, am I going on their honeymoon with them? Like, what am I getting in return? Why am I paying for this ring? What am I getting out of it?
Andy_H: I guess you’re raising support for an idea. I mean, I understand crowdfunding can reach lots of people. I mean, it’s a really nice platform. But, I think this guy’s idea comes up a little short.
Dominique: I think it’s tacky. And I mean, if I see the woman on the street, am I going to get to borrow said ring that I helped put in on? It’s pretty ridiculous. I mean, what else are they going to do next?
Andy_H: I think it’s going to backfire on him when his girlfriend finds out he didn’t actually spend money on her.
Grammar Point
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Discussion
Andy says they need to get a huddle together and talk about something. A guy used crowdfunding to get his girlfriend’s engagement ring! Andy says that’s so tacky because the point of an engagement ring is a sacrifice. Dominique asks if she is invited to this wedding. If she helped buy the ring, shouldn’t she be invited? Will she be going on their honeymoon? Dominique wants to know what the people get in return.
Andy guesses that he’s raising support for an…idea? He knows that crowdfunding is a really nice platform, but this guy’s cause comes up a little short. Usually, people use crowdfunding in ways that benefit the community: business projects, personal troubles, or other things. Not just something that benefits one person. Dominique says maybe she’ll get to borrow the ring. Andy thinks the whole thing will backfire when the girlfriend finds out he didn’t spend money on her.
What is something you need money for? Would you use crowdfunding?