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Forbidden Espresso

Forbidden Espresso English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jun 05 2007

Themes: News

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.

How far is the nearest Starbucks from where you live? Two blocks? Three? Starbucks are everywhere. There is hardly a city on Earth that hasn’t been affected by globalization. Even the Forbidden City, a 600 year old palace and set of buildings in Bejing, China, is now home a Starbucks. A lot of people think that stores like Starbkucks shouldn’t be allowed to open in beautiful, historic places. Kevin is among them.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Kevin

Kevin

Amanda

Amanda

Kevin:  I was listening to NPR yesterday and there was quite a long report about this Starbucks that’s in the Forbidden City…

Amanda:  Yup, Bejing.

Kevin:  Which some people are really adamantly against and other people are like, “Oh it’s no big deal.” What do you think about that?

Amanda:  It’s interesting because it kind of parallels...My friend just went down to Texas. She wants to move from Portland to Texas because in their churches they have Starbucks. The way that she sees it is it’s not really compromising the integrity of a place of worship as much as it is keeping with the times because everyone’s all about convenience and retail.

Kevin:  Fair enough. But don’t you think that there have to be some places…

Amanda:  That are sacred?

Kevin:  Yeah, I mean…if you put a Pizza Hut there…

Amanda:  I do, but how do you…how and where do you draw the line, I suppose?

Kevin:  Well and I guess to me it comes down to demand. If people don’t want to support the business, then people need to stop going, and then the business won’t be a success. But I hear people complain, “Oh I don’t like this. I don’t like that. I don’t like McDonalds. I don’t like Starbucks.” yet when it’s the closest thing to their home or to their house they’ll walk there instead of walking another two blocks to a local coffee shop for example.

Amanda:  Absolutely. So they feel one way but their actions say another.

Kevin:  But I personally have a problem with there being a Starbucks in the Forbidden City.

Amanda:  So what do you think, do you think that particular shop will shut down after all this settles?

Kevin:  I think it probably will.

Amanda:  OK. We’ll see.

Kevin:  Wanna bet on it?

Amanda:  I’ll bet you a latte.

Kevin:  Alright.

Amanda:  Okay.

 

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Discussion

Kevin was listening to a radio station called NPR (National Public Radio) when he heard a program about the Starbucks in the Forbidden City. Amanda is reminded of a friend of hers who might move to Texas because they have Starbucks in churches there. She doesn’t think it’s wrong, just keeping up with the times.

Kevin says that if people don’t want a certain business somewhere, they shouldn’t go to that business. He says that a lot of people say they don’t like Starbucks or McDonalds, but when it’s nearest thing, they go there.

Kevin doesn’t think it’s right to have a Starbucks in the Forbidden City. He thinks it will close soon. He and Amanda bet (what else?) a latte on it.

Have you ever been someplace old and beautiful and found a Starbucks or McDonalds there? Were you glad it was there or did you wish it wasn’t?

 

Comments

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DAR

DAR

Taiwan

WTO?

08:38 AM Jun 05 2007 |

carolgyfl

carolgyfl

China

long long time ago

08:33 AM Jun 05 2007 |

DAR

DAR

Taiwan

Eight countries violent forbidden city,right? Sealed

08:25 AM Jun 05 2007 |

DAR

DAR

Taiwan

hi~ hudenqkui

actually I drink NESCAFE.

some starbuck`s employees in china work seriously.It is really..take easy..

08:18 AM Jun 05 2007 |

carolgyfl

carolgyfl

China

There are three starbucks near our office, provides all kinds of coffee for foreigner and local people. i thought it deals well in China, like other well-known chain stores such as Mcdonald ,KFC etc.I found one locate in Chengdu(Si Chuan province, China)'s famous place- Jin Li last week, similar like estabilshment in Fobidden city.I don't like it, because it breaks down the historic place,speical for Chinese. But it will not close, I supposed. if Chinese goverment allow its opening, they have consider the result out of questions.

07:59 AM Jun 05 2007 |

DAR

DAR

Taiwan

wow~it`s great is not it?Wink

 

 

07:33 AM Jun 05 2007 |

Nida786

Nida786

Pakistan

hello everwelwisher

i can make espresso for you

 

 

06:38 AM Jun 05 2007 |

Nida786

Nida786

Pakistan

hey it is forbidden???

06:36 AM Jun 05 2007 |

Everwelwisher

Pakistan

same… we don't have starbuck at pakistan too..

 

but i love Espresso Coffee…

 

 

06:29 AM Jun 05 2007 |

Everwelwisher

Pakistan

Oh Espresso….
Tahirlively@yahoo.com
Tahirlively@hotmail.com

06:28 AM Jun 05 2007 |

irina Ferum

Russian Federation

Thanks Recrdo 89 for explonation. We don.t have any starbucks in Russia.

06:04 AM Jun 05 2007 |

baby550

baby550

China

To Hudengkui: I don't agree with you. Maybe that' is not a big deal in the city. But it is a big deal in the aesthetics field.

All the cities just become look very likely  the same one in China. Don't think that? suppose I fly from one city to another, there is all the same. what a sad!

04:32 AM Jun 05 2007 |

baby550

baby550

China

To Upstairs:

Starbucks is a coffee shop. which have many many shops all over the world. It's has a green star as a sign.

04:21 AM Jun 05 2007 |

rikrdo_89

rikrdo_89

Peru

Starbucks is like a cafe or store where you can drink different kinds of coffe, even eat and ice-cream an so on. There areStarbucks all over the world!!

04:12 AM Jun 05 2007 |

DAR

DAR

Taiwan

I read the news they break your impression.you will forget it.then…....so..the trademark will be broken in whole china.just a branch store okay?

03:56 AM Jun 05 2007 |

hudengkui

hudengkui

China

starbucks, yeah,i qiutely agree with you! what does it feel like when you first came to china,i guess….mmmm,i suppose you would fell many unbelievebale changes,for example, enjoy sth that it usually was tasted in your hometown,thiss the globaliztions fluences! okey,the world is getting smaller and smaller, as far as i know,the globalization is doing swift spread:in old days,people were used to be a communicator,just in use of voice,gesture,letterssoo,but now,you can do it by phone,telegraph,e-mail,technoledge system and so on,that is what i wanna to say!as a result, i agree with the globalization,and enjoy it all the time.

03:35 AM Jun 05 2007 |

irina Ferum

Russian Federation

What does it mean Starbucks? It.s somthing like little store or what?  

01:37 AM Jun 05 2007 |

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