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Make Ends Meet
Make Ends Meet English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn English with this money English lesson

Date: Jul 29 2014

Themes: Friend, Soap Opera, Work

Grammar: Zero Conditional

Intro

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

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It can be tough living in such an expensive world. It costs a lot to travel, to buy clothes, to go to school, and sometimes just to buy food. If you have a big family, it can be even harder. Unless everyone you live with has a job, it is probably difficult to earn enough money to pay for everything you need. If that’s true for you, it’s hard for you to make ends meet.

To make ends meet is to earn enough money to pay all of your bills. If you’re lucky, you can do this with only one job. But many people don’t have a large income, so they have to get second or even third jobs. Don’t be embarrassed if you have several jobs, though. Remember that millions of people are just like you! We’re all just trying to make ends meet.

Marni has a second job, and you’ll never guess what it is. Read today’s English lesson and you’ll learn her secret!

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.

Jessica

Jessica

Marni

Marni

Jessica:  So, how’s your new job treating you?

Marni:  You mean the one filling in for Amanda? It’s going pretty well.

Jessica:  Only pretty well?

Marni:  Yeah. It’s a big responsibility, and she is paying me more, but I still have to work a second job to make ends meet.

Jessica:  Do you really? I thought with your income and John’s, you two were doing well.

Marni:  We are. It’s just that with student loans and raising a child, we just need more money.

Jessica:  So, what is this second job?

Marni:  I am too embarrassed to say.

Jessica:  What? Come on, Marni, you’ve known me for ages. You know you can trust me.

Marni:  I completely trust you, but that doesn’t make me feel any less embarrassed.

Jessica:  Oh, what could possibly be so bad?

Marni:  If I tell you, you need to promise to keep it a secret.

Jessica:  I promise.

Marni:  You’re going to laugh.

Jessica:  I won’t. I won’t.

Marni:  OK. I’ve been working as a belly dancer.

Jessica:  What? Are you serious?

Marni:  You said you wouldn’t laugh.

Jessica:  Well, I know, but come on, Marni. A belly dancer? Where is this job?

Marni:  It’s completely above board. It’s at a restaurant.

Jessica:  And you’re the entertainment?

Marni:  I guess so. But it’s in a family restaurant. It’s not shady or anything.

Jessica:  Wow.

Marni:  I know it’s crazy. But the tips are amazing.

Jessica:  Wow.

Marni:  OK. You can stop saying, “Wow.”

Jessica:  Honestly, I think it’s awesome, Marni. And it sounds like a really fun way to make ends meet.

Marni:  Thank you. I guess I didn’t have to worry about telling you.

Jessica:  Not at all. Wow.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni has a secret. She has another job in addition to her position at AmericanDreamD8.com that she works at to make ends meet. Marni’s embarrassed to tell Jessica, but she finally agrees after Jessica promises not to tell anyone. She works as a belly dancer!

Of course, Jessica is shocked. But she surprises Marni by telling her that she thinks it’s an awesome way to earn more income. It helps that Marni makes sure that Jessica knows the job is above board. She belly dances at a family restaurant. Apparently, the tips are excellent.

Is it hard for you to make ends meet? Can you find extra work, or are jobs difficult to find?

 

Comments

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elahe100

elahe100

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i like to work but now it is hard for me to find work


what is important is that these days we live to work and we have forgoten to enjoy our life our time our money.we must work just …..

05:14 PM Aug 06 2014 |

1 person likes this

mahbubeh92

mahbubeh92

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Wow!!!really WoW


i never do anything just for making ends meet ..i trust in God ,he will do anything is he wants for me.


i am still a university student and my dad pays for me the tuition.plus i think people have to get by on money they earn sometimes.

09:43 PM Aug 04 2014 |

jef_maiko

jef_maiko

Brazil

It’s really hard for me to make ends meet. I have to be quite organizad with my money. I could find extra work if I want, but I can not. I already work all day long and study at night. Extra work would be too much tiring for me. Not to mention lack of time….....

04:03 PM Jul 29 2014 |

sammosa

Jordan

plz make aconversation taller its  quite  short ya are the best ! 

03:59 PM Jul 29 2014 |

1 person likes this

sammosa

Jordan

plz make aconversation abit taller its small  ya are the best ! 

03:59 PM Jul 29 2014 |

1 person likes this

shmily87

China

i think belly dancer is cool. my job is pretty well now, i dont have to worry that cant make ends meet. but the problem is , it’s too boring, i even think this is worse than that is hard to make ends meet. because it’s like to make my life seem meaningless. But i am too timid to chang it. i am so afraid of failure.

03:38 PM Jul 29 2014 |

1 person likes this

S&W

S&W

China

Recently, Lessons were really amazing,Marni worked as a belly dancer,Jeff wanna take photography class,relationship between Jessica and Gary,Everyone got an unforgettable summer.That’s cool

02:30 PM Jul 29 2014 |

1 person likes this

bravevivian

Ecuador

I think making ends meet is difficult in most of the countries.  Thank God I’ve had good jobs. I’ve been doing pretty well. 


I believe it’s important to study and to be a good professional, so companies will get to know your experience. 


Anyway I think this was a funny story.  I just can’t imagine Marny belly dancing :D

01:23 PM Jul 29 2014 |

3 people like this

rav3n1993

rav3n1993

Viet Nam

nice !!!

09:26 AM Jul 29 2014 |

1 person likes this

samine_sh

samine_sh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

belly dancer!!!wow

08:21 AM Jul 29 2014 |

mim_dica

mim_dica

India

Wow

06:06 AM Jul 29 2014 |

1 person likes this

Eric_

Eric_

China

funny dialog…lol


02:57 AM Jul 29 2014 |

emma_cookie

China

It really take courage to tell Jess that she works as a belly dancer

02:15 AM Jul 29 2014 |

2 people like this

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