Vocabulary Financial crises To go public – when To fi le for bankruptcy (n) | a company sells its To go bankrupt (v) | stock to the public Bankrupt (adj ) – unable to pay debts, the business shuts down. Stock (n) – part ownership of a company Wall Street 1 ¡
1 To be in charge of something/someone (i) – to be in control or responsible for something/someone. To call the shots (i) – to make important decisions, to have the authority or power, to be in charge of. 2 ¡
2 To tank (s)(v) – to fail completely, to crash. To cook the books (i)(s) – to change facts or fi gures dishonestly or illegally ( fi nancial fraud) on the fi nancial statements (balance sheet) of a company. To manipulate fi nancial information. A fat cat (s)(n) (negative) – a wealthy man, sel fi sh, greedy. 3 ¡
2 To cover something up (pv) – to hide, conceal or disguise something. A bad apple (i)(s ) – a bad or corrupt person in a group who has a negative e ff ect on everyone else in that group. 4 ¡
3 To go out of business (i) – when a company fails, goes bankrupt, and shuts down. To be in the red (i) – to lose money. Antonym: To be in the black. 5 ¡
3 To fi ght a losing battle (i) – to try hard to do something when there is a very small chance of success. A shot in the dark (i) – a random guess, or a hopeful attempt (small chance of success). 6 ¡
3 To turn something around (pv) – to change a negative situation to a positive situation. To throw in the towel (i) – to give up, to admit defeat (boxing). 7 ¡
3 Every cloud has a silver lining (p) – there’s always hope, every negative situation has a positive aspect. Synonym: When one door closes, another door opens. To be out of a job (i) – to be unemployed. Synonym: To be in between jobs, to be out of work. 8 ¡
4 To look up to someone (pv) – to admire and respect someone. To build/start something from scratch (i) – to start/build something from nothing, or the very beginning. To be ( fl at) broke (s)(adj) – to have no money. 9 ¡
4 To go from rags to riches (i) – to start life poor and then become rich (or famous). To be set for life (i)(adj) – to have enough money for a lifetime. To make a killing (i) – to win or earn a large amount of money, usually in a short period of time. 10 ¡
5 To hang up one’s hat (i) – to end one’s career, to retire. Easier said than done (p) – (truth) it’s easier to talk about something but much more di ffi cult to really do it. Something/someone is like fi nding a needle in a haystack (i) – something/someone that is really di ffi cult or impossible to fi nd. 11 ¡
5 To have big shoes to fi ll (i) – to have big expectations to ful fi l because the person that came before was very successful or did a great job. Usually when another person is taking over a position. To be set in stone (i)(adj) – something that is certain, permanent. Therefore it cannot be changed. 12 ¡
5 The bottom line (i) – the conclusion, the fi nal result, the ultimate decision, the main point. To bring something/someone to the table (i) – to provide something that will be bene fi cial, to contribute something to the group. 13 ¡
Discuss 1. What are you in char in charge of ge of in your company? 2. Who cal alls the shots ls the shots in your current or previous relationships? Do you enjoy cal alling the shots ling the shots? 3. Has anything tanke tanked d recently (stock prices, companies, gas prices, markets, industries, countries)? 4. Do you know any company that cooke oked the b d the books oks? Did they try to cover it over it up up? What happened? Was there a scandal? 5. If you were a team leader, and you had a b a bad apple ad apple in your group, what would you do? 6. Do you know any companies that went out of business out of business? 7. Do you know any companies that are in the r in the red d but successful? 8. Have you ever fought a losing b a losing battle attle? What happened? Did you win? 9. Do you know any story where a new leader turne turned d things ar around ound? 10. Do you know any sports idioms like thr throw in the towel ow in the towel in your language? 14 ¡
Discuss 1. Do you believe that ‘every cloud has a silver lining every cloud has a silver lining’ or ‘when one do when one door or closes, another do closes, another door op or opens ens.’? Have you experienced this situation? 2. Who do you lo look up to ok up to? Why? 3. Do you know anyone who started their own business fr own business from scr om scratch atch? 4. Have you ever been br broke oke in your life? How did you overcome it? 5. Do you know anyone who went fr went from r om rags to riches ags to riches? 6. How much money do you need to be set for life e set for life? 7. Have you ever made a kil made a killing ling in the stock market, business investment or gambling? 8. At what age do you want to hang up your hat? hang up your hat? 9. What are some things that are easier said than done? asier said than done? 10. Have you been in a situation where you had big sho big shoes to es to fi fi ll? 11. If you were in a job interview for your dream job, and the interviewer asked you what you bring to the table you bring to the table? How would you respond? 15 ¡
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