Learn About The Unreal Past Tense

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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• grow up
• sympathize with
• follow in the footsteps
• ins and outs

• career
• generation
• craft
• field

• black sheep
• inherit

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

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Picking a career isn’t easy. And once you’ve decided what kind of career you want, it can be just as hard, if not harder, to actually get the job you want. That’s what makes the idea of a family business seem so attractive at times.

A family business is a business that the same family owns from generation to generation. The parents pass it on to their children, who pass it on to their children, and so on. Often family businesses involve a special craft, like a bakery with secret family recipes.

Marni likes the idea of having a family business. But Amy’s mother owns a business, and Amy decided not to go into it. Find out why, as she and Marni discuss the pros and cons of having a family business.

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

Amy

Marni:  You know, I have been looking for another job, and I…gosh, sometimes I wish my family had a business I could just go into.

Amy:  You know, it’s funny you should say that, because my mom owns a business, and when I was younger, I didn’t want to do what she did. I wanted to have my own thing. And I ended up going into a totally different field. But every once in a while, I think, why didn’t I? I could have this business. I could just inherit it. I’d be all set up. It would be so easy, and I know about it anyway because I was around it all the time growing up. So I sympathize with you. But at the same time, you don’t want to just follow in your parents’ footsteps. You want to strike out on your own, you know?

Marni:  Sure. Gosh, it would be nice, though, I think, just to inherit a family business and know that that’s what you’re gonna go into, and be in that world growing up, being surrounded by it, and so you just learn all the ins and outs.

Amy:  It’s true, especially if it’s a craft, like if your family is just really, really good at making jewelry or doing something really special. But at the same time, there’s always that one black sheep of a son who ends up ruining the business. So sometimes it’s not good to have a family business, because you just have someone who’s inherited it, but isn’t actually the best person to run it.

Marni:  Right.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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