Shadowing Practice: 02.b What Is Success? MS - Effortless Business English - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hi.
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Welcome to the mini -story for What is Success?
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Listen to the story and answer every question.
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You can use your pause button to answer the questions if necessary.
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When you answer, use only one, two, maybe three words.
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Okay, so very short answers.
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Let's begin.
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Here's the story.
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Wilson, king of the monkeys, has a problem.
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He has negative cash flow.
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His kingdom is losing money every month.
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He can't afford to buy extra food for the monkeys in his kingdom.
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He pays bills with most of his money.
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He must pay for the monkey army, for example.
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Some monkeys are very angry.
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They want to kill Wilson.
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But the angry monkeys are a small group.
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Most mainstream monkeys support Wilson, but King Wilson is worried.
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He must make more money.
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He tries to invest in the stock market, but he loses money.
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He tries to invest in gold, but he loses money.
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Finally, he invests in a flower farm.
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He grows big yellow flowers and exports them to Europe.
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He makes money, so he invests more money in the yellow flower farm.
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It grows and makes more and more money.
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Soon, King Wilson is rich.
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The kingdom has great cash flow.
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Every monkey is very happy.
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In fact, all the monkeys are ecstatic.
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Okay, now again, this time, answer my questions.
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Here we go.
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Wilson, king of monkeys, has a problem. Who has a problem?
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Wilson.
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Wilson, the king of the monkeys, has a problem problem.
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What does Wilson have?
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A problem.
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Wilson has a problem. Who is Wilson?
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King of the monkeys.
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Wilson is king of the monkeys.
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Does Wilson have a problem?
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Yes, Wilson has a problem.
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What is Wilson's problem?
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ah he has negative cash flow who has negative cash flow
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wilson wilson has negative cash flow does wilson have positive cash flow Or does Wilson have negative cash flow?
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Negative, right?
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Wilson has negative cash flow.
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He has negative what?
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Cash flow.
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He has negative cash flow.
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Does Arnold Schwarzenegger have negative cash flow?
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No, no, no. Not Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger does not have negative cash flow.
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Who has negative cash flow?
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Wilson.
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Wilson has negative cash flow.
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Does Wilson have a negative attitude?
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No, no, no, no, no. Not a negative attitude.
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Wilson has negative cash flow. Is this a problem?
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Yes, it's a problem.
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It's a problem for Wilson.
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He has negative cash flow.
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His kingdom is losing money every month.
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Is Wilson saving money every month?
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No, no, no. He's not saving money every month.
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He's losing money every month.
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Why is Wilson losing money every month?
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Well, negative cash flow because he has negative cash flow.
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Because he has negative cash flow, He's losing money every month.
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Who is losing money every month?
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Wilson.
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Wilson is losing money every month.
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Is he losing money every week or every month?
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He's losing money every month month.
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Does he have positive cash flow or does he have negative cash flow?
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He has negative cash flow.
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He can't afford to buy extra food for the monkeys in his kingdom.
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Does Wilson have enough money to buy extra food?
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No, no, he doesn't.
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He doesn't have enough money.
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He can't afford to buy extra food.
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Does Wilson have extra money?
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No, he doesn't.
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He can't afford to buy extra food.
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Why not?
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Why can't he afford to buy extra food?
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Because he has negative cash flow.
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Because he has negative cash flow, he can't afford to buy extra food.
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Does he have enough money to buy extra food?
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No, no, no. he can't afford to buy extra food.
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Who can't afford to buy extra food?
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Wilson.
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Wilson can't afford to buy extra food.
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And who is Wilson?
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The Monkey King.
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That's right, King of the Monkeys.
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Wilson, King of the Monkeys, can't afford to buy extra food.
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Can he afford to pay the army?
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Yes, yes, he can afford to pay the army.
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He can't afford to buy extra food.
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Wilson pays bills with most of his money.
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For example, he must pay for the monkey army.
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What does Wilson pay?
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Bills.
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Wilson pays bills every month.
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Who pays bills every month?
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Wilson.
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Wilson pays bills every month.
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What kind of bills does he pay?
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Well, for example, he pays the army every month.
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He has an army bill every month.
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Who has an army bill every month?
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Wilson.
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Wilson has an army bill every month.
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Does he have an army bill every week or every month?
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Every month.
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Wilson has an army bill every month.
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He pays the army every month.
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Does Wilson have a lot of bills?
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Yes, yes, Wilson has a lot of bills.
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He must pay the army.
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He must pay for his house.
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He must pay for expensive clothes.
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He has a lot of bills.
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Some monkeys are very angry.
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They want to kill Wilson.
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But the angry monkeys are a small group.
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Most mainstream monkeys support Wilson. Which monkeys support Wilson?
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Ah, the mainstream monkeys support Wilson.
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Which monkeys don't support Wilson?
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Ah, the angry monkeys.
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The angry monkeys don't support Wilson.
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So who supports Wilson?
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Mainstream monkeys, normal monkeys, common monkeys, most monkeys.
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Mainstream monkeys support Wilson.
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Who do mainstream monkeys support?
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Wilson.
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Mainstream monkeys support Wilson.
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Do mainstream monkeys want to kill Wilson?
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No, no, no, no. Mainstream monkeys don't want to kill Wilson.
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Who wants to kill Wilson?
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angry monkeys that's right angry monkeys want to kill Wilson mainstream
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monkeys most monkeys don't want to kill Wilson most
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monkeys support Wilson mainstream monkeys support Wilson Do mainstream dogs support Wilson?
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No, no, no. Not mainstream dogs.
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Mainstream monkeys support Wilson.
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But King Wilson is worried.
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He must make more money.
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So, he tries to invest in the stock market. Does Wilson buy stocks?
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Yes, he does.
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Wilson buys stocks.
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Does Wilson invest in stocks?
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Yes, he does.
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He invests in stocks.
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He hopes to make more money later. Who invests in stocks?
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Wilson.
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Wilson invests in stocks.
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Why does he invest in stocks?
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Well, to make more money.
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He invests in stocks to make more money.
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Does he make more money?
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No. Oh, no. He loses money.
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He invests in stocks.
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He wants to make more money,
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but he actually loses money. Who loses money?
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King Wilson.
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Where did he lose money?
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Ah, in the stock market.
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He lost money in the stock market.
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Did he invest in silver?
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No, no, no, no, not in silver.
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He invests in the stock market, and he loses money in the stock market.
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Next, he tries to invest in gold, but again, he loses money.
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Does he buy gold?
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Yes, he does.
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He buys gold.
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Does he want to make more money from gold?
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yes yes yes he invests in gold what does he invest in next
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gold.
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He invests in gold next. Who invests in gold?
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Wilson.
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Wilson invests in gold.
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Does he make more money?
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No. He loses money.
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Finally, he invests in a flower farm.
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What does he finally invest in?
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He invests in a flower farm.
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Does Wilson buy a flower farm?
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Yes, yes.
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Wilson buys a flower farm.
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Why does he buy a flower farm?
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to make more money he invests in a flower farm he wants to make more money from the flower farm
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so finally he invests in a flower farm what kind of flower farm does he invest in?
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He invests in a big yellow flower farm.
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He grows big yellow flowers and exports them to Europe.
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Does he send the flowers to Europe?
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Yes, he exports them to Europe.
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He sends them to Europe and sells them to Europe.
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Does he import the flowers from Europe or does he export the flowers to Europe?
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Exports, right?
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He exports the flowers to Europe.
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Does he export the flowers to Canada?
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No, no, no. He doesn't export the flowers to Canada.
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He exports the flowers to Europe.
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Where does he export the flowers to?
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He exports the flowers to Europe.
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Who exports the flowers to Europe?
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King Wilson.
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King Wilson exports the flowers to Europe and he makes money.
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So he invests more money in the yellow flower farm.
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does he spend more money on the flower farm yes yes
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yes he does he invests more money in the yellow flower
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farm does he want to make even more money from the flower farm
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yes he invests right he invests money in the flower farm he wants to make even more money
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from the flower farm and it grows the farm grows and makes more money and more money and more money
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Is this a good investment?
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Yes, a very good investment.
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The farm makes a lot of money.
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He spends a little money.
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He makes a lot of money.
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It is a good investment.
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What is a good investment?
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Well, the flower farm.
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The flower farm is a good investment.
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Who made a good investment?
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Wilson.
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Wilson made a good investment.
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Did he make a bad investment with the flower farm or a good investment?
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Well, with the flower farm, he made a good investment.
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Did he make a good investment with the stock market?
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No, no, no, no. The stock market was a bad investment.
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Why was the stock market a bad investment? Because he lost money.
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Wilson lost money in the stock market.
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So it was a bad investment.
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What was a good investment?
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Flower farm.
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The flower farm was a good investment.
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What was a bad investment?
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Well, stocks and gold.
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He lost money with stocks.
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He lost money with gold.
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They were bad investments.
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The flower farm was a good investment. In fact,
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soon, King Wilson is rich the kingdom has great cash
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flow ah what has great cash flow the kingdom the kingdom
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of monkeys has great cash flow does Wilson the king have
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great cash flow oh yes yes he does Wilson has great cash flow.
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Is he spending more or is he making more every month?
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Making.
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He's making more money every month.
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He has great cash flow.
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Who has great cash flow?
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Wilson.
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Wilson has great cash flow.
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Every monkey is very happy.
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In fact, all the monkeys are ecstatic. Are the monkeys sad?
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No, no, no. The monkeys aren't sad.
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They are ecstatic.
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Are they a little happy?
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No, no, no, not a little happy.
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They are ecstatic.
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Are the monkeys super, super, super happy?
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Yes, the monkeys are ecstatic.
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Woohoo!
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Why are the monkeys ecstatic?
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Because the kingdom is rich,
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because the kingdom has great cash flow. Is Wilson ecstatic?
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Yes, yes, of course, Wilson is ecstatic.
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Does Wilson have positive cash flow?
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Yes, now he has positive cash flow.
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Does Bill Gates have positive cash flow?
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Yes, Bill Gates has positive cash flow.
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He's the richest man in the world.
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He has very positive cash flow.
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Who has more positive cash flow, Bill Gates or Wilson?
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Well, Bill Gates, of course.
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Bill Gates is the richest man in the world.
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Bill Gates has more positive cash flow than Wilson.
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Okay, that is the end of the mini story.
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Every day, listen to this story one time, two times, maybe three times.
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Listen to this story every day for one week, maybe two weeks.
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If it's easy, that's okay.
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In fact, that's good.
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You want to learn very deeply, deeply, deeply, deeply.
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So you need to repeat a lot, even when it's easy, especially when it's easy, okay?
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You have to let the words, let the phrases, let the grammar go deep, deep in your brain.
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Then you will speak automatically.
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Then you will speak quickly and easily, okay?
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So listen to all of these lessons.
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What is success?
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Listen to all of them every day for one week, maybe two weeks.
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All right.
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After this, listen to the point of view mini stories.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “02.b What Is Success? MS - Effortless Business English”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: wilson, monkey, flow, cash, flower. This video has 292 sentences and 1986 words to shadow. The speech runs for 25:04. The speaker talks slowly, about 79 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 82 of its 292 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
monkey noun/ˈmʌŋki/A member of the clade Simiiformes other than those in the clade Hominoidea containing apes, generally (but not universally) distinguished by small size, tails…
flower noun/ˈfloʊɚ/A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens…
invest verb/ɪnˈvɛst/To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in.
mainstream adjective/ˈmeɪn.stɹiːm/Used or accepted broadly rather than by small portions of population, market, scientific community, etc.
export noun/ˈɛks.pɔɹt/Something that is exported.
deeply adverb/ˈdi(ː)pli/To a deep extent or degree; very greatly.
mini adjective/ˈmɪn.i/Miniature, tiny, small.
lesson noun/ˈlɛs.ən/A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
phrase noun/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/A short written or spoken expression.
grammar noun/ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/A system of rules and principles for the structure of a language, or of languages in general.
import noun/ˈɪm.pɔɹt/Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.
cloth noun/klɒθ/A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use. Sometimes…
pause noun/pɔːz/A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
ecstatic adjective/ɛkˈstætɪk/Feeling or characterized by ecstasy.
woohoo/wuːˈhuː/Used to express sudden or exuberant joy, happiness, excitement, approval or delight.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a groupthe richest
Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessarymust pay · must make · need to repeat
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around nowis losing · Is he losing · Is he spending
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or predictionwill speak

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 20 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, doesn't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like monkey, flower, invest.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →