WeChat ESL Class October 1, 2016

A. High Lights of the week

B. Talk about Your Best Friend

C. Reading and Comprehension

Read this selection focusing on a telecommunications company. Take the true or false quiz following the reading selection. The answers to the quiz are on the next page.

Globalcall Communications

Globalcall Communications has grown from a telecommunications solutions provider for local businesses in the greater Seattle metropolitan area to a truly global corporation providing telecommunications solutions for clients both large and small. Established to fill a significant market gap for simple communication solutions, the company first expanded to most major North American cities before becoming a major multinational player.

Presently, the company is extending operations to include voice over IP, as well as high-speed cable Internet access. Globalcall Communications' team includes more than 40,000 specialists worldwide in more than 20 countries on three continents. Next year will see the deployment of a third generation wireless communications network in Asian countries.

The future looks bright for Globalcall Communications. By 2005 the company will be servicing more than 15 million households and businesses globally. Globalcall Communications will have become a household word. We look forward to serving clients and are planning to do everything in our power to make sure that your communication future is unlimited AND simple.

Quiz

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The company began by offering computer software solutions to local businesses in the greater Seattle metropolitan area.

2. The company was founded on an approach to providing simple communication solutions.

3. The company is expanding operations at the moment.

4. Worldwide communications employs more than 40,000 specialists.

5. The company expects to be servicing more than 50 million customers worldwide by 2005.

E. Bible Story - Daniel 1

Daniel Taken to Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some ofthe vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family[a] and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were tostand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

Daniel's Faithfulness

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Discussion Questions:

1. What kind of person was the king looking for?
2. What would their training involve?
3. Why do you think a conquering king would move the captured population out of their land to his?
4. Why did Daniel refuse the royal food and drink?
5. Do you think it was easy or hard for Daniel to ask for special treatment?
6. What happened after the 10 days passed?
7. How else did God reward these men for their obedience and trust?
8. What did you learn from Daniel?

We-Chat ESL Class on September 17, 2016

A. High Lights of the week

B. Breaking News of the world

C. Short Story and D. American Idioms: Young and Free: Prerequisite for Success
Let's face it: In today's business world you need to be young and free of attachments to strike it rich. It's a dog eat dog world out there and you're going to have to work quite a lot. Of course, not only will you have to work quite a lot, you'll need to be flexible and ready to take advantage of anything. That's where the "free" part comes in.
I've got a young friend, he's only 25, but he fits the bill perfectly. He's single and he's hungry. He's willing to start from scratch and, best of all, he isn't afraid of putting his nose to the grindstone for those 80 hour weeks. He decided to take the bull by the horns by going starting up his own business. He found a software developer who knew the internet inside out.

 This young man was also very ambitious. He left his safe job at the drop of a hat. They were both reaching for pie in the sky, and they were ready.

They also were lucky. They founded a startup and got into the whole social networking business in 2002. In other words, they were early birds and they were willing to sink or swim. Probably the most important ingredient in their success, was that they were willing to play things by ear. They kept their ears to the ground, moved full steam ahead and drove hard bargains. Soon, their business was growing by leaps and bounds. Of course, they had some stumbling blocks along the way. Who doesn't? Still, they got the jump on the competition and by the year 2008 they were multi-millionaires. This sort of success for the young and free now has copycats around the world.

Idioms Used in the Story
at the drop of a hat = immediately
by leaps and bounds = very quickly (used with improvement)
copycat = someone or a company who tries to do things like another person or company
dog eat dog = very competitive
drive a hard bargain = to make a business deal that is very advantageous for you
early bird = someone who takes early advantage of a situation
fit the bill = to have the right characteristics for something
full steam ahead = to continue with full commitment
get the jump on someone = to get the advantage over someone by starting early
have one's ears to the ground = to pay attention to rumors, news, and industry insiders
know something inside out = to have expert knowledge about something
pie in the sky = something very hard to achieve, a dream
play something by ear = to improvise in a situation, react to a situation as it occurs
put one's nose to the grindstone = to work hard and put in many hours
sink or swim = succeed or fail
start from scratch = to start from the beginning
startup = a small company that begins to do business, usually in technology
strike it rich = to become rich, often by creating a new product or service successfully
stumbling block = a difficulty or hurdle that stands in the way of success
take the bull by the horns = to confront a problem and deal with it
Expression Quiz

1. I think Peter ______________. He's perfect for the job.
2. It's _____________ on the project. We have no time to waste.
3. Don't pretend you're like Kevin. Nobody likes a ___________.
4. The business person ________________, but we had to accept her offer.
5. I think it's best to _________ the meeting __________. We need to consider everything.
6. He founded a ________________ in 2008 and made millions.
7. Our business has grown _________________. We're very happy.
8. I'm afraid I think that idea is ______________. It will never work.

E. Bible Story -  Genesis 13 Avoiding Arguments

Abram and Lot Separate

1 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.

2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. 5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.

8 Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. 

1. Why couldn't Abram'a and Lot's families live together anymore?
2. What do you think the herdsmen argued about?
3. Why did Abram want to solve the problem?
4. What was Jesus' response?
5. What did Abram do to stop the argument with Lot and his herdsmen?
6. What risk did Abram take in making this offer to Lot?
7. Who do you think got the best deal? Why?
8. How did God provide for Abram's future?
9. What two promises did God make to Abram?
10. If you were making a TV show about this story, what part of the story would you emphasize most?