Welcome to a new episode of English Vocabulary Booster.
My name is Lara and I'm a SALSA certified English teacher.
Learning new vocabulary usually takes a long time, but we'll do it in a way that's easy, quick and efficient.
In every episode, we'll learn how to use five new English words or expressions, so that you too can start speaking like a native.
So let's get learning.
And we're back.
This week's topic is money.
Let's begin with the story.
My brother-in-law never had a lot of money.
In fact, he was flat broke for most of his adult life.
Well, that was until two years ago, when he finally started his own company and he became incredibly successful.
He made a lot of money very quickly.
Since this was the first time he could actually afford to do it, he went a little crazy, you could say, and started throwing his money around buying all sorts of useless things.
One day he called me.
He said he wanted to buy another car and he wanted me to go with him.
Shopped around for a few days and then he finally found the car he was looking for.
It was a beautiful Mercedes.
The car salesman kept insisting that it was a steal.
That for $75,000, it was a great car and it was impossible to beat that price.
So guess what?
He bought it.
A few days later, we were driving by a car dealer and saw the exact same car.
Only its price was $50,000.
He had definitely been ripped off.
Okay then, let's begin with the word flat broke.
He was flat broke for most of his adult life.
So if you are a flat broke, how much money do you have?
Well, if you are a flat broke, you have no money, no money at all.
But what about in the bank?
Well, you don't even have money in the bank.
If you're flat broke, you just have nothing.
And was there a time in your life when you were flat broke?
And how old were you?
There have been many, many times in my life when I have been flat broke.
I think I'll be flat broke very soon.
I actually sort of quit my job yesterday.
So, but I think the last time was probably when I was in the States and I was making money.
I was working as an au pair and I was making money, but it was not enough money whatsoever to survive.
And my family had to help me because I was flat broke.
Word number two, throw your money around.
He started throwing his money around.
If you throw your money around, do you get money or spend money?
In this case, you spend money.
And if you throw your money around, do you spend it carefully or carelessly?
Well, if you throw your money around, that means that you spend it carelessly, without really paying attention to what you're buying or how much money you're spending.
And do you tend to throw your money around or do you spend it carefully?
Unfortunately, I must admit that if I have the money, when I'm lucky enough to have the money, I do tend to throw it around a little bit.
I try to save money for a while, and then I'll just go on a shopping spree and throw my money around on stuff that I don't really need.
Word number three, shop around.
We shopped around for a few days.
If you're shopping around, do you go to one place or many places?
That means to one store or many stores.
If you shop around, you go to many stores.
And do you buy something in each place or do you just look?
If you shop around, you just go to different stores and look at the product, okay?
You may have a specific product in mind.
You're just going to go and look at the price.
So why would you do it?
What is the purpose of shopping around?
Finding the best deal or discovering new stores?
Well, if you're shopping around, it's because you want to find the best deal, obviously.
So you look at one thing, the price of one thing here, the price of that same thing there, you compare it and then you go.
Well technically, I mean, I'm hoping you would choose the store with the lower price.
And do you normally shop around before buying something?
I don't because I just don't have the patience to wait.
And so, yeah, normally I'm just like, I'm literally like a kid when it comes to buying.
So I'll see something.
I'm like, I want it and I'll buy it.
Hopefully you're not like me and you do shop around so you can find the best deal.
Word number four, a steal.
It was a steal.
A steal is something stolen or bought.
I know it says steal, but it has nothing to do with stealing.
When you're talking about a steal, it means that you've bought it.
And is a steal something that you buy for a higher or a lower price than it is usually sold for?
If it's a steal, that means that it has a lower price, a lot of times a much lower price than it usually has.
And is it a good thing or a bad thing to find a steal?
Well, you found something that it's usually sold for a certain price, and now you find it for much, much less.
Well, obviously it's a good thing.
You should celebrate.
Can you remember the last time you bought something thinking it was a steal?
Um, no, I can't.
Um...
Well, maybe, you know, it's not something physical, but maybe an accommodation.
So we've been traveling a lot.
And the last place we stayed at, it was an Airbnb and it was a double bedroom.
And we paid, drum roll, $9 for the night.
So I think that was a steal.
What do you think?
Word number five, ripped off.
He had definitely been ripped off.
If you get ripped off, are you charged more or less than you should be charged?
Well, my friend, if you have been ripped off, I'm afraid you have been charged more than you should have been charged.
And when do you normally find out you have been ripped off?
Is it before paying or after paying?
Well, normally you find out after paying or after they tell you the price and you can go.
Oh man, I think I've been ripped off.
And if someone rips you off, do they do it accidentally or on purpose?
Well again, I'm afraid, if they do it, if someone rips you off, it's because they want to do it, because they want to take advantage of you.
Have you ever been ripped off?
And when?
And what did you buy?
So I'm sure I've been ripped off plenty of times, but I don't know.
But if I have to think of one specific time, I remember it clearly.
It was my first time in New York City and I got on a cab and later so I paid.
I forget how much I paid, but it was a lot.
And then I told my New York friends and they were like, yep, Mara, you've been ripped off.
And that is it for today.
And remember, if you want to access the transcript, as well as lots of other resources, visit enboocom.
That is E-N-B-O-O-O dot com.
Have a great day.
