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Business Opportunities
简体
Business Opportunities
商机

Learn English with this business English lesson

Date: Feb 11 2013

Themes: Work

Grammar: Zero Conditional

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Some people are happy with their jobs and the amount of money they make. Other people are always on the lookout for a new business opportunity. These people look for chances to join new companies or sell new products. They look for anything that sounds exciting and can make them easy cash.

Seeking business opportunities can be dangerous, though. How can you tell the difference between a legitimate opportunity and a scam? How can you know if you have a much greater chance of losing money than of making a fortune? Hear Mason tell Sara about a new business opportunity in this money English lesson.

一些人对他们的工作和薪酬感到满意。而另一些人总在寻求新的商机。这些人寻求加入新公司或销售新产品的机遇。他们寻求任何听起来令人激动而又容易赚钱的事物。

但寻找商机可能会有危险。你如何分清合法机遇和骗局?你如何知道,赔钱的几率是否大于发大财的几率?在本节以钱为话题的英语课上,听听梅森向萨拉谈论新商机。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Sara

Sara

Mason:  Sara, how do you feel about your current cell phone service?

Sara:  I guess it’s OK. I mean, it works, I can make calls when I need to. I don’t know.

Mason:  Would you be considering to switch?

Sara:  If someone gave me a better deal, I mean I think I pay too much money for it.

Mason:  Well, I just signed up for this service, and it’s only 49 dollars a month. And actually, if I sign up a certain amount of people, I end up earning extra income that will actually lower my bill.

Sara:  I am interested in only paying $49 a month, but this sounds like one of those weird pyramid schemes or something, I don’t know.

Mason:  Well, I mean, I don’t necessarily blame you for thinking that, but the truth of the matter is, it is what it is. It’s 49 dollars for the service, and if I share it with people and they join, then I get a certain reward for that, but you could get the same thing too if you use the phone service and you get a phone for 50 bucks a month.

Sara:  So you’re not trying to scam me.

Mason:  No, I am trying to earn money from you. But it’s no scam.

Sara:  So how did you find out about this business opportunity?

Mason:  Well, same thing. A friend told me.

Sara:  Cool. So is this a new sort of company? You getting in on the ground floor or something?

Mason:  I am. Definitely. So I’m hoping that things will keep growing and growing, and could actually turn into quite a cash cow.

Sara:  Alright. Sign me up.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Mason got a new cell phone provider recently. The monthly cost is very cheap. And this provider is unique, because if he gets other people to join the service, then he gets paid. He’s pretty excited about this new business opportunity.

Sara is suspicious, though. Is this just one of those pyramid schemes where the person at the top makes a lot of money, and the people at the bottom get taken advantage of? Mason assures her that it’s not. Yes, he will be making money off the deal, but everything is legitimate.

After hearing all about how Mason got involved, Sara decides she’s impressed with this new business opportunity. She asks Mason to sign her up.

Have you ever taken part in a new business opportunity? How did it go? Has anyone ever tried to scam you with a business opportunity?

 

Comments

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i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Honestly No I have never tried to making any business Opportunity during my life , I didn’t try , For many reasons  the main thing isn’t only money , mostly of people have lots of money but as the same time sometimes you have everything In order to be an successful business man but you can’t Improve your commercial conditions , It’s depend on your luck .


I prefer to spend my money more than save it , In my opinion the life is short try to enjoy .

12:46 PM Feb 14 2013 |

jeongyaong

jeongyaong

South Korea

Since I do not have much income, I have not had any chance to take part in a business opportunity. However, I have been on the lookout for a new employment opportunity abroad. 
I have a dream that one day, maybe after my retirement or when I have a cash cow, I want to run my own business. Of course it should be a legitimate business, not a scam. 
Besides, if my boyfriend or my accaintance who is reliable has a cash cow, I do not mind getting in on the ground floor of his/her business. If I like the business plan and am ready for burning with my passion for it, I am always eager to work for a new business opportunity. 

04:38 AM Feb 13 2013 |

Olga_Alina

Germany

if yo want to go for new business oportuniteis, you have to be brave and be prepared to take a financial risks.

10:12 PM Feb 12 2013 |

masoudhsn

masoudhsn

Canada

Being in a new business opportunity always is tempting, especially you feel that it is a cash cow. taking part be on the lookout of these activities are sometimes perilous because mostly you don’t know whether these are legitimate or scam. As we know some of them are pyramid schemes even though if you getting in on the ground floor of them, you are able to  make a great amount of money. Personally, I’ve never tried them at all!!

10:08 AM Feb 12 2013 |

S&W

S&W

China

I hate pyramis schemes ,i think some people in this business was crazy,They always trying hard to let you join their business like those who sell insurance.I met one in the restuarant ,she kept talking how their business runs and how much profit i can get ,I can’t put up with that .

07:20 PM Feb 11 2013 |

vicmay_lo-flo@live.com.mx

Mexico

yes, at times I’ve been involved in negotiations, I have never lost any. because I try to be with serious and responsible people.

07:00 PM Feb 11 2013 |

DAMAVAND

DAMAVAND

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

why was he not succeed??Are you not glad for your work? It was just kidding with you, I laughed at your bavery to say the truth!!

04:34 PM Feb 11 2013 |

DAMAVAND

DAMAVAND

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Seiyf,


HaHaHaHaHaHa I’m laughing very much!!! Good for those jobs they could find you,they got a big chance that you made an opportunity for them by staying home!!! hahahaha!!


perhaps when we looked for a career and couldn’t find it, it was scared and made escape to stay at home people! hahahaha!! 

03:26 PM Feb 11 2013 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

seif,   pleaaaase, don´t push the red button, lol

02:54 PM Feb 11 2013 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

who wouldn´t like to hit the jackpot in the blink of an aye? but this is always possible? I doubt it. There will always people who are on the lookout for  new targets  (pigeons), naive people  that would invest   their hard earned money in a piramid scheme  with the hope  that they will have a cash cow  that will secure their future. I don´t trust these endeavors ,I have seen people  desperate  after being cheated  and  having to face  the truth that their savings are  in  the pockets of crook  people. One of the latest scams ,I have received mails as this one: I am contacting you, my name is….. I have 100.000.000 million of dollars in an African bank ,i need  your help to invest this money in your country, I will give you a 15% cut  if you do.  ...... interesting but unrealistic. 

Al-issawi

Al-issawi

Iraq

Job chances sometimes come just once a life as other life chances; therefore if you don’t take it, you will lose it forever, but that does not mean to scam. I was a Competitor with four people to get job as lecturer in the university, finally I got it legitimately and I am not on the lookout for new job. I like my job but I want to develop it or expand it to be a researcher along with being lecturer. It is not wrong to work as Mason does with Sara, as he finally convinced her to switch legally, so people who have ability to recruit others they will get higher chances than others. Again scamming people or lying to get job is not a proper thing, even when somebody still without work. Actually I had argument with someone who desperate to get job, he said I will be lair to get job as many people do, I told him also honest people have their own chances to get jobs, but they have to dig them legitimately. 

knuschu

knuschu

Germany

The region where I live has about 12 % unemployment rate. So I am happy to have my job. I know in other regions I would earn more money for the same job. But here I have my family, my house. For me it’s more important then money. And my work environment is good, I work in a good team.


This month I celebrate my 15th anniversary at work.

DAMAVAND

DAMAVAND

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I ‘d like to  make a new opportunity in much diffrent case of my work as a hobby by myself,and can  impress somebody  with a bussiness opportunity,I want to have a small restaurant or coffee shop because I think if people don’t pay money for several things they need, they never forget hunger and food,in addition it is not a scam,however I could not be succeed to make new opportunity because of lack of money by now  .

i.bagci

i.bagci

Turkey

4 months ago i had to guit my job than started to get a new one, i made a lot of interwiews and phone calling, they demanded many  qualifications from the candidate and asked most of the time silly questions and also some of the job announcements was scam, finally i could find a job at computer sector so  i am happy and getting to used to it, hope i will improve myself and get promoted…

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