Alexander Chumakov - Super English Course – Speak like a native

Our next expression for his vocabulary lesson is to tear up. To tear up means to destroy something such as a piece of paper or clothing by pulling it into pieces. And you can see it in the sentences “Jim tears up the list of reasons for not doing well”. Jim destroys the list of reasons for not doing well. He tears up the list of reasons for not doing well.

Our final word for today is to grab. Here to grab means to take something quickly and you hold it. So Jim takes a fresh piece of paper quickly and he puts one word on it, which means he writes one word on it – him. Of course, you understand the idea of the story that you are the only person who is responsible for your own success. No one else can decide for you.

Alright, and that is all for the vocabulary lesson for “The key to your better future is you.” See you for the mini-story.

Hello, my superstar English student! This is Alex. Welcome to the mini-story for “The Key to Your Better Future is You”. Let’s get started. By the way, this time I am going to ask the story in the present tense, not in the past tense. Let’s go!

Jim is married to a beautiful woman. And they have two children.

Who is Jim married to?

He is married to a beautiful woman.

Is Jim married to a beautiful or an ugly woman?

Beautiful, of course. Not ugly. Who wants to marry to an ugly woman? And Jim is married to a beautiful woman, of course.

What is her name?

Oh, you don’t know. I’ll tell you. Her name is Dorothy. Oh, what a nice name, right? Dorothy.

So Jim is married to a beautiful woman, named Dorothy.

What do they have? Dogs?

No, no, not dogs. They don’t have dogs. They have children.

How many children do they have?

Two, right! They have two children.

Do they have two girls?

No, they don’t.

Do they have two boys?

No, they don’t.

Do they have a girl and a boy?

Yes, that’s right. They have two children: a girl and a boy.

Okay. That’s lovely. And Jim is a success, right?

No, unfortunately, not. Jim is not a success. Instead, he is in debts.

What is Jim in?

In debts. Jim is in debts.

Does Jim owe money to other people?

Yes, exactly. Jim owes money to other people. He is in debts.

Is Jim’s father in debts?

No, Jim’s father is not in debts. Jim’s father is doing well. It’s Jim who is in debts.

Is Jim a rich or a poor man?

Jim is a poor man.

Does Jim have any money?

No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t have any money. Jim is in debts. He owes money to other people.

How do you know?

Because when he looks at his bank account and he is not happy.

Is Jim happy or unhappy when he looks at his bank account?

Jim is unhappy. He is unhappy when he looks at his bank account.

Why is Jim unhappy when he looks at his bank account?

Because he has no money on his bank account. He is unhappy, because he owes money to other people. Jim is unhappy, because his bank account is empty. Jim is in debts.

What does Jim need money for?

For his family, of course. He needs money to provide his family. As a result, it is difficult for Jim to provide his family.

Right?

Yes.

Is it easy or difficult for Jim to provide his family?

It is difficult. It is not easy for Jim to provide his family.

What is difficult for Jim to do?

To provide his family, to give what they want and need. It’s difficult for Jim to provide his family.

Who is it difficult for to provide his family?

For Jim, of course. It is difficult for Jim to provide his family.

And why is it difficult for Jim to provide his family?

Because he is in debts. He doesn’t have his own money. Jim owes money to other people.

And he even has a list of reasons for not being a success.

What does Jim always do? What does he always say?

He always blames something or something.

What kind of list does Jim have?

He has a list of reasons for not being a success.

Jim has a list of what?

He has a list of reasons. He has a list of things for not being a success. He has the list of things that stops him from doing well.

Does Jim have a list of reasons for being successful or for not being successful?

Jim has a list of reasons for not being successful. He has a list of reasons for not doing well.

Plus, Jim always blames the government and the prices. He always blames the taxes and his neighbors. He blames the weather and the traffic. He blames the company and the community.

What does Jim always do?

Blames. Jim always blames.

What does Jim always blame?

He always blames the government and the prices.

He always blames the taxes and his neighbors.

He always blames the weather and the traffic.

And what does Jim blame the government and the prices for?

For not being a success. Jim always blames the government and the prices for not being a successful man.

What does Jim blame the taxes and his neighbors for?

For not being a success. Jim always blames the taxes and his neighbors for not being a successful man.

What else does Jim blame for not being a successful man?

He blames the weather and the traffic. He blames the company and the community for not being a success.

Why does Jim blame everything and everyone?

Because Jim doesn’t know what to do. And as a result, Jim is falling into depression.

Who is falling into depression?

Jim is. Jim is falling into depression.

Why is Jim falling into depression?

Because he is not a success and he doesn’t know what to do. Jim is poor. He is in debts. It’s difficult for him to provide his family.

But one day, fortunately, he meets a successful businessman.

Who does Jim meet one day?

A successful businessman. One day Jim meets a successful businessman. And when he meets a successful businessman, Jim goes through his list of reasons why he is not a success.

When Jim meets a successful businessman what does he do?

He goes through his list of reasons why he is not a success.

Does Jim tell the successful businessman why he is not a success?

Yes, exactly. Jim tells the successful businessman why he is not a success. Jim goes through his list of reasons for not doing well.

Who goes through his list of reasons why he is not a success?

Right! Jim does. Jim goes through his list of reasons why he is not a success.

The man is very patient. When Jim finishes, the man looks through the list very carefully.

When Jim finishes what does the man do?

He looks through the list very carefully.

Does the man examine, read Jim’s list of reasons why he is not a success?

Correct. The man examines, he reads very carefully the list of reasons why he is not a success. The man looks through the list very carefully.

What does the man look through very carefully?

Right! Jim’s list. The man looks though Jim’s list of reasons why he is not a success.