ESL Podcast 624 – Advantages and Disadvantages in Life

Andy: Doesn’t it make you sick? We bust our butts around here and the boss brings in his nephew to be the new manager.

Nia: You never know. He may be a good boss.

Andy: I doubt it. He’s getting this opportunity just because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He didn’t have to pull himself up by his bootstraps like the rest of us.

Nia: I’m going to wait and see how he is as a manager. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

Andy: If you’re a blue blood like he is, born into privilege and old money, you can do no wrong.

Nia: That’s not true. He’ll be held accountable for how this department performs.

Andy: But when does somebody like me get a break? Okay, I was born on the wrong side of the tracks. I grew up in a white trash neighborhood. So what? I’ve worked hard to get where I am now. That guy hasn’t paid his dues like I have.

Nia: You can complain all you want, but it doesn’t change the situation. He’s the new boss and we work for him. Get used to it.

Andy: Get used to it?! Not on your life!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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bootstraps 白手起家

pleasantly surprised 意外的驚喜

pleasantly 令人愉快的；可喜的；宜人的；吸引人的

blue blood 貴族血統;貴族階級;貴族

privilege 特殊利益；優惠待遇

accountable（對自己的決定、行為）負有責任，有說明義務

white trash 窮苦白人

Get used to 習慣於

Not on your life（斷然拒絕）決不會