EnglishPod

Dialog

A: Hello, I’m here to see Mr. Corleone.

B: Right this way, sir.

C: Charlie! What can I do for you?

B: Mr. Corlone, I’m really sorry to trouble you, but I need your help.

C: Anything for you, Charlie! Your father was like a brother to me.

B: Well, sir, you see, this recession has hit me pretty hard; I lost my job and I’m in a lot of debt.

C: I see. . . . . .

B: Yeah, you know, I’ve got credit card bills, car payments, I’ve got to pay my mortgage; and on top of all that, I have to pay my son’s college tuition.

C: So you’re asking for a loan.

B: Well, I just thought maybe you could help me out.

C: What? At a time like this? I’m broke too, you know! You’re not the only one who has been hit by the recession! I lost half my money in the stock market crash! Go on! Get outa here!

Key Vocabulary

trouble - Verb, Present Simple - disturb or bother

recession - Noun (singular) - a period of time when the economy of a country is bad

hit me pretty hard - Phrase - had a strong, negative affect on me

debt - Noun (noncount) - the amount of money you owe to a person, bank, company, etc.

on top of all that - Phrase - besides that, in addition to

broke - Adjective - not have any money

Supplementary Vocabulary

borrow - Verb, Present Simple - take and use some money, and return the equal amount of money at a later time

pay back - Phrase - return the money you borrowed

a loan - Noun (singular) - amount of money borrowed

take out a loan - Phrase - borrow money

unemployed - Adjective - having no job

downturn - Noun (singular) - a time when the economy is worse than usual