The listening activity included on the book, has an interview with a contestant which appeared on the hit British TV show Dragon’s Den, similar to the hit American equivalent TV show Shark Tank. I previously taught this lesson last year, you can find the previous post below, with more relevant videos and vocabulary:
First date taught: 3 April 2024
5B – A New Business
Theme: Getting financial help to set up a new business.
Listening Vocabulary:
at the drop of a hat (idiom) – immediately; without hesitating
sweltering (adj) [C2] – very hot in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
shedding our winter coats (v) – (formal) to let something fall; to drop something
doffing our winter coats (v) – (very formal) to take off a piece of clothing; to take off your hat, especially to show respect for somebody/something
growing their winter coat – how we refer to animals growing a thicker coat of fur for the winter
donning our winter coat (v) – to put clothes, etc. on
to jinx something/someone (v) – to bring bad luck in a mysterious way
April Fools’ (n) – a trick that is traditionally played on somebody on 1 April (called April Fool’s Day or All Fools’ Day)
constitute (v) [C1] – to be considered to be something
EXAMPLE: Climate change constitutes a major threat to life.
comedic formula –
getting the point across –
present and accounted for –
to get the business off the ground –
Flying car firm Alef hits 2850 preorders, worth over $850 million
Apple Vision Pro –
in tandem (idiom) – if somebody/something works or happens in tandem with somebody/something else, they work together or happen at the same time
utilize (v) [C1] – to use something, especially for a practical purpose
EXAMPLE: The resources at our disposal could have been better utilized.
exponential rate –
beyond our comprehension –
pointless (adj) – having no purpose; not worth doing
get in on the ground floor –
criteria (n) – a standard that you use to judge something or make a decision about something
Example: the criteria we use to select candidates
negotiation (n) – the process of achieving an agreement through discussion
drift (n) – the general meaning of what somebody says or writes (synonym: gist); also a large pile of something, especially snow, made by the wind
Example: Do you catch my drift?
The road was blocked by deep drifts of snow.
niche (n) – (of business) a part of a market which is small but may be profitable
supplier (n) – a company that provides a particular type of product
credibility (n) – reputation impacting one’s ability to be believed
underway (adj) – happening now
plugging away (ph.v) – to keep working hard at something
consumer-ready – a finished, fully-functioning product that is ready for consumer purchase (as opposed to a prototype which has not been tested or gone through production yet)
would-be (adj) – attempting or desiring something
perserverance (n) – continuing in a course of action without regard to discouragement, opposition or previous failure
knockbacks (n) – a refusal or rejection that you receive
lifestyle (n) – A style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group
Additional Vocabulary:
design (tr.v) [B1] – the way in which something has been planned and made, including its appearance, how it works etc
Example: a company that believes in the importance of good design
manufacture (v) [B2] – to produce goods in large numbers, usually in a factory using machines
Examples: Nike started as a small company manufacturing running shoes.
Imports of manufactured goods are increasing.
invest (v) [B2] – to buy something that you think will go up in value, for example shares or property, in order to make a profit
Example: It is investing some $60 million to maintain its edge in technology.
product (n) [B1] – something that is made to be sold, esp. something produced by an industrial process or something that is grown or raised through farming
Examples: Distributors for Amway sell numerous products, including cleaning and personal-care products.
Companies must be able to launch new products quickly and alter existing ones.
brand (n) [B1] – a type of product, service, etc. made or offered by a particular company under a particular name; [business] a name given to a product by a company so that the product can easily be recognized by its name or its design
Example: This is a company with strong brands and a good position in many markets.
logo (n) [B1] – a design or way of writing its name that a company or organization uses as its official sign on its products, advertising etc
Example: By displaying its attractive logo, customers are reassured when considering a purchase.
entrepreneur (n) [C2] – someone who starts a company, arranges business deals, and takes risks in order to make a profit
Related: entrepreneurial endeavors – the process of identifying and starting a new business venture, sourcing and organizing the required resources, while taking both the risks and rewards associated with the venture
Also related: entrepreneurship – the process of developing, organizing, and running a new business to generate profit while taking on financial risk
innovation (n) [C1] – a new idea, method, or invention
Example: It is a fairly recent innovation for rent to be paid in advance.
capital (n) [B2] – wealth or property that is owned by a business or a person and can be invested or used to start a business; an amount of money that is invested or is used to start a business
equity (n) [C1] – the value of a company’s shares; the capital that a company has from shares rather than from loans
venture (n) [B2] – a new business activity or project that involves taking risks
Example: She identified potential customers for a new business venture she was evaluating.
venture capitalism – a system of business financing in which wealthy groups invest money in small, new companies that they believe have potential to be extremely successful.
ROI (return-on-investment) – a company’s profit from one or more of its activities in a particular period of time in relation to the amount it has invested in the activities
promote (tr.v) – to try to persuade people to support or use something
prototype – the first form that a new design of a product has, or a model of it used to test the design before it is produced
novelty (n) – a new, unusual product which is cheap to produce and will probably only be popular with customers for a short time
projection (n) – a statement or calculation about what you think will happen in the future, based on the information that you have available now
Example: How do scientists make projections about future climate change?
scrappy (adj) – (informal American English) having a determined character and always willing to compete, argue, or fight
Example: This scrappy little software company has decided to take on the market leader.
counter offer – an offer that is higher than a previous one, for example when more than one company is trying to take control of another company
Related: bidding war – a circumstance in which two or more prospective property buyers compete for ownership through incrementally increasing bids.
Idiom: run the risk of doing something
to do something although something bad might happen because of it.
Example: If you tell him the truth, you run the risk of hurting his feelings.
Additional Listening Activities:
Additional:
- ISL Worksheet – Product Pitch
Attribution: Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
English With Dixie 