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Declining CD Sales

Declining CD Sales

Date: Sep 10 2007

Themes: Tech, Work

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.

Do you remember the first time you listened to a CD? It was amazing, wasn’t it? The sound was so clear and you could skip right to the track you wanted to listen to, unlike a cassette tape.

It’s hard to believe that CDs are a thing of the past, but it’s about to be true. CD sales have gone down 30% in the last two years and there’s no indication that they’re going to get any better, because downloading music is only getting more and more popular.

While a lot of artists and people in the industry are really excited about downloading, the death of the CD is really upsetting to a lot of people, particularly record companies and people who work in record stores.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

Marni

Marni

Devan

Devan

Marni:  So, uh, when was the last time you bought a CD?

Devan:  Well, I actually work at a record store, so I buy CDs all the time. But a lot of people aren’t anymore, though.

Marni:  It’s true. it’s a huge problem, I think, for a lot of people. Do you work at Music Millennium?

Devan:  I work at Music Millennium, yeah, and we’re going out of business because nobody’s buying CDs anymore. It’s all Internet, iPods. Nobody has any interest in the market anymore.

Marni:  It’s true. My boyfriend works in the music industry and he’s really worried about his job, actually, because he’s a music broker, he makes CDs for a living, and people aren’t buying them, therefore bands aren’t making as much. Really it’s an interesting problem. I hadn’t thought about it, but I haven’t bought a CD in over a year and it’s because it’s so easy, so readily available on the Internet.

Devan:  Record stores around town are dropping left and right. I think musicians will always have careers because they can tour, but the CD market, it’s really starting to disappear rapidly. It’s something you never really thought about when you were a kid.

 

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Discussion

Devan works at a record store, so she buys CDs pretty regularly, but she and Marni agree that a lot of people aren’t buying them anymore.

In fact, the store Devan works at, Music Millennium, is closing because business is so bad. Marni’s boyfriend makes CDs, so business is bad for him, too. She admits that she hasn’t bought a CD in a year.

Musicians don’t have too much to worry about because they can always play live, Devan says, but CDs are about to become extinct.

What’s your preferred format for listening to music? Do like Mp3s, CDs, records, or tapes the best? When is the last time you bought a CD?

 

Comments

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Basem

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

 it's sadnes to see some pepole lose them jobs

but i think the mp3 is best than cd 

09:18 AM Sep 10 2007 |

Océane

Océane

China

     cd :P in fact, i haven't bought it since the appears of mp3 ,well ,but i kind like to those classical cd ,like Beethoven………………hope it exists in a classical way

09:01 AM Sep 10 2007 |

arthur759

Togo

i like cd because you can stok the information

08:50 AM Sep 10 2007 |

little_pig

China

Mabye CDs sound like music best, they are the best ammptation of music.

08:37 AM Sep 10 2007 |

Eve Lee

Eve Lee

China

I will support the singer I Like, and buy their CDs.

08:03 AM Sep 10 2007 |

shahriarheydari

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Unfortunately that matter is so terrible for people who who works around CD business …

07:23 AM Sep 10 2007 |

explorer143

Pakistan

When a new thing invented than the old one lone out, everyone want easy way…

05:57 AM Sep 10 2007 |

stevenzlt

stevenzlt

China

It seems not only the CD but the cassette tape are becoming declined day by day because of the internet and more and more electronic products…

05:27 AM Sep 10 2007 |

rakyo

rakyo

China

I like CD, Im sure will buy more before it becomes antique.

04:09 AM Sep 10 2007 |

lol80

lol80

Peru

yeah that is real!i prefer listen to music on internet!! and download it!!it’s a pity !! but i think the cd’s insdustry is starting to dye

02:01 AM Sep 10 2007 |

Josh K

Josh K

Guatemala

all prefer download mp3, buy at itune music.

12:27 AM Sep 10 2007 |

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