English Learning

Interactive Stories Course – Lesson 3 The Business Deal (future “going to”) This is part of Lesson 7 from The Water Car Listen to the recording and read along. You can use this to check your work from yesterday's lesson: Listen and Write. Part B: Listen and Read Mark: Two Japanese engineers are in Chicago. Aaron: M-hm. Mark: They are going to meet the president of a big American automobile manufacturer. Aaron: Oh boy! Mark: They are sitting in a hotel room. Aaron: Ok. Mark: What are they wearing? Aaron: Both of them are wearing suits. Mark: Ok. Aaron. They are going to meet the president of an American automobile manufacturing company so they are wearing business suits. Mark: Ok. Aaron: Dark business suits Mark: That makes sense. Aaron: Yeah. Mark: How long have they been in the hotel? Aaron: Not very long. They just got there and they are preparing to meet the president of the automobile company. Mark: They are going to meet the president the next day. Aaron: Ah. I see. Mark: What time are they going to meet him? Aaron: They are going to meet him at ten thirty in the morning. Mark: Are they going to meet him in his office? Aaron: Yes, they are. They are going to meet him in his office at the headquarters of the automobile company. Mark: What are they going to wear? Aaron: They are going to wear the same dark suits that they are wearing now. Mark: Very formal. Very conservative. Very business-like. Aaron: That's right and it's very common to wear dark suits in Japan so it makes the men feel comfortable. Mark: Mm. It's not strange. Aaron: No. Not at all. Mark: Mm. The time of the meeting arrives. Aaron: Ok. Mark: The two guys tell the president about their water car. Aaron: Uh-huh. Mark: They talk about the environment. Aaron: M-hm. Mark: They offer to sell the car to the American company. Aaron: Ok. Mark: The American guy wants to see the car. Aaron: I bet he does. Mark: He wants to have a test drive. Aaron: Ok. Mark: The car is in Japan. Aaron: Hm. Mark: The American has to fly to Japan. Aaron: Uh-huh. Mark: They arrange a time to meet in Japan. Aaron: Ok. Mark: What date are they going to meet? Aaron: They are going to meet on October fifteenth in Japan. Mark: What city are they going to meet in? Aaron: They are going to meet just outside of Tokyo. Mark: What city? Chiba? Saitama? What city? Aaron: Well, it is Tokyo. The greater Tokyo area, but in the Chiba region. Mark: Chiba? Aaron: Yeah Chiba. Mark: Ok. How long is the American going to stay in Japan? Aaron: He is only going to stay for five days. Mark: Is he going to take his wife? Aaron: No, he isn't. He has already taken his wife to Japan but this time he is going to leave his wife at home and travel alone. Mark: Mm. This is a business trip. Aaron: Exactly. Mark: Has he been to Japan before? Aaron: Yes, he has. Mark: Of course Aaron: Yes, he has. He has been to Japan twice. Mark: The day of the meeting arrives. Aaron: Ok. Mark: The American wants to see a demonstration of the water car. Aaron: Of course he does. Mark: Of course. The two Japanese guys take the American for a drive. Aaron: Ok. Mark: The American is impressed. Aaron: uh-huh. Mark: The water car is safe, cheap and environmentally friendly. Aaron: I bet it is. Mark: It is also light and fast and cheap to build. Aaron: Uh-huh. Mark: It is a great design. Aaron: I bet it is quiet too. Mark: The three men sit down and talk for hours. Aaron: M-hm. Mark: They discuss details. Aaron: Ok. Mark: They make a deal. Aaron: M-hm.Mark: The American guy is going to buy the water car and he is going to produce them in America. Aaron: Ok. Mark: How much is he going to pay the two Japanese guys up front? Aaron: Wow! Mark: Big question. Aaron: Yeah. That is a difficult question. I think his company is going to pay them four or five million dollars up front. Mark: Wow! That is a lot. That is a big figure. Aaron: It is a lot of money. Yeah. Mark: Wow! So much. Just like that! Aaron: Yeah. But part of it is for the rights to sell the car in America; to produce and sell the car in America. Mark: Mm. Aaron: The legal rights. Mark: Mm. Aaron: Yeah. Mark: Is he going to give them a percentage of his profits from the sales of the water car? Aaron: Absolutely, he is. He is definitely going to give them a percentage of the profits that the American company will make in America. Mark: Are they going to give up ... the two Japanese guys...Are they going to give up ownership of the design? Aaron: Absolutely not. They are going to retain the ownership of the design. Mark: They are going to keep it? Aaron: Absolutely. They have a patent on the ownership, so they are going to retain ownership of the design. Mark: That is smart. Aaron: That is very smart. It is very savvy.