Political Discussion: Trade & Tariffs
We started with a discussion about trade, tariffs, and political decisions between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- “Trump made a bad decision by threatening tariffs on Canada and Mexico.”
- “Canada stopped buying U.S. liquor in response. They removed American whiskey from stores.”
- “Mexico relies on U.S. technology and industry, so tariffs could hurt the Mexican economy more than Canada.”
- “Tariffs don’t work the way people think—American consumers pay the price, not other countries.”
Key Vocabulary:
- Tariffs (TAR-iffs) – Taxes on imported goods.
- Boycott (BOY-kot) – Refusing to buy a product or trade with a company or country.
- Stock market (STOK MAR-ket) – The place where stocks and investments are traded.
- Red herring (RED HAIR-ing) – A distraction from the real issue.
Example:
“Trump used immigration as a red herring to get people angry and win votes.”
- “Many business leaders are angry about tariffs because they hurt profits.”
- “Instead of fixing real problems, Trump just wants power and control.”
Understanding Trade & Economic Impact
- “Trade wars affect entire industries.”
- “In Canada, American whiskey is being replaced by local brands.”
- “Companies like Jack Daniels are losing millions of dollars.”
- “If Europe follows Canada and boycotts U.S. products, things will get even worse.”
Example Headline:
“Jack Daniels maker says boycotts are worse than tariffs.”
- “A boycott means companies don’t just pay more—they lose entire markets.”
Political Manipulation & Propaganda
We talked about why people vote for Trump and how he manipulates the public.
- “Trump made undocumented immigration his main campaign issue.”
- “In reality, undocumented workers are not a big problem.”
- “He exaggerated the issue to get votes.”
- “Many people believed him because they don’t have enough education to check the facts.”
- “Even when the economy is declining, his supporters still defend him.”
Example:
“Trump stirred people up and got them angry about immigration, even though the real problems are trade and jobs.”
Work & Industry: Aerospace Engineering
We shifted the discussion to jobs and professional experience.
- “I work as an engineer for Honeywell Aerospace in Mexico.”
- “We make turbine parts for airplanes and ship them to Phoenix, Arizona, for assembly.”
- “My job is CNC programming, which means programming machines to cut, grind, and shape parts.”
Key Vocabulary:
- Aerospace (AIR-oh-space) – The industry related to aircraft and space travel.
- Turbine (TUR-bine) – A machine that produces power by spinning blades.
- Assembly (uh-SEM-blee) – Putting parts together to make a product.
- Machining (muh-SHEEN-ing) – Using machines to shape or cut metal.
“My goal is to get promoted and become a manager.”
Improving English for Career Growth
- “I need to improve my English skills to advance my career.”
- “If I want a higher salary and better quality of life, I need to speak English fluently.”
- “I try to watch movies in English, but sometimes they speak too fast.”
- “Idioms and slang are difficult to understand.”
English Pronunciation & Practice Tips
We discussed how to improve pronunciation and listening skills.
- Practice Method:
- Watch American TV shows (e.g., Friends).
- Pause after a sentence.
- Repeat it exactly the same way.
- Focus on intonation, stress, and pronunciation.
- Recommended Resource:
- San Diego Voice & Accent (YouTube) – A great free resource for improving pronunciation.
- “She teaches shadowing, which helps learners sound more natural.”
- “Short videos help with American English pronunciation.”
Business English: Meetings & Proposals
We practiced business conversation skills for meetings.
- Scenario:
- “A company is behind schedule and needs a solution.”
- “The manager asks for proposals from the team.”
- “Employees discuss the problem and suggest solutions.”
Steps in a Business Meeting:
- Identify the problem. (“We are behind schedule.”)
- Discuss the problem. (“Why are we late? What’s causing the delay?”)
- Ask for proposals. (“What solutions do you suggest?”)
- Reach an agreement. (“We will work overtime to finish on time.”)
- “The deadline is unrealistic.”
- “We need more workers, but we don’t have the budget.”
- “Instead, we will pay overtime to finish the project.”
Interpreting Business Graphs & Charts
We talked about business charts and trends.
- “A line chart shows trends in data.”
- “A trend line can go up or down.”
- “If sales go down, we say sales are trending down.”
- “If sales go up, we say sales are trending up.”
Example:
“If we keep doing the same thing, we will get the same results.”
Final Thoughts & Areas for Improvement
- “Your reading skills are strong.”
- “Your speaking needs more fluency and pronunciation work.”
- “Keep practicing speaking out loud and listening to native speakers.”
- “With more confidence and pronunciation practice, you’ll improve quickly.”
Recommended Study Plan:
✔ Watch American TV shows and repeat sentences.
✔ Use YouTube resources (e.g., San Diego Voice & Accent).
✔ Practice pronunciation with shadowing techniques.
Vocabulary from Today’s Lesson
- Tariffs (TAR-iffs) – Taxes on imported goods.
- Boycott (BOY-kot) – Refusing to buy a product as a protest.
- Stock market (STOK MAR-ket) – A place where shares of companies are bought and sold.
- Red herring (RED HAIR-ing) – A distraction from the real issue.
- Turbine (TUR-bine) – A machine that produces power by spinning blades.
- CNC programming (SEE-EN-SEE PRO-gram-ing) – Programming machines to cut and shape metal.
- Machining (muh-SHEEN-ing) – The process of shaping metal with machines.
- Trend line (TREND line) – A line on a chart that shows increase or decrease over time.
- Unrealistic deadline (un-ree-uh-LIS-tik DED-line) – A deadline that is too difficult to meet.
- Overtime (OH-ver-time) – Extra hours worked beyond normal work time.
Final Wrap-Up
This was a great session! 🚀
✔ We practiced discussing trade & politics.
✔ We talked about jobs & career goals.
✔ We learned business English for meetings.
✔ We focused on pronunciation & listening skills.
Keep practicing!
“Confidence comes with practice—just keep speaking and listening!”
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