| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficult | Work | Man – Girl | 01:21 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
There are many things to consider when working as a babysitter or finding one to watch your kids, and many companies help you find experienced caregivers, babysitters, and nannies in your area.
One of the considerations for the babysitter is financial arrangements for compensation. What is fair pay for watching children? Would you charge differently for the number of children or for different circumstances? Should you charge extra when being asked to do other tasks such as cleaning, cooking, or staying past midnight?
Idioms
“look in on” = check on the safety of someone, especially if they are sick
“You probably should look in on the baby every hour during the night to see how she is sleeping.”
“be grouchy” = be in a bad mood, especially if someone is tired or sick
“Our daughter might be a little grouchy if she doesn’t get enough sleep.”
Listening Exercise
Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)
Vocabulary and Sample Sentences
Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:
- entrepreneurial (adjective); also entrepreneur (noun): a description of a person who decides to take certain risks to start their own business for profit or gain
– To become a successful entrepreneur, you need a good business model, money, and connections. - affordable (adjective): a fair price, reasonable
– I wish that buying a home was more affordable. - market (noun): the business environment where goods and services are traded, bought, or sold
– Many businesses in this area are experiencing decreases in the market for new orders. - tuition (noun): money paid for education
– I had to take out a loan to pay for college tuition. - you’re pulling my leg (idiom): try to persuade or convince someone to believe something that is not true
– He was just pulling your leg when he said he was getting married. - CPR (noun) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: a medical procedure used to restart the heart and breathing again in emergency situations
– Although the man suffered a serious accident, emergency personnel were able to revive him using CPR.
Post-Listening Exercise
What do you think are the characteristics or qualities of a good babysitter? Search the internet to see what services are available. Also, take a look to see what courses are available for babysitters? In what ways would taking such courses help babysitters become more qualified and attractive to potential clients?
Online Investigation
Imagine that you have two small children, ages 2 and 4, and you are looking for a full-time babysitter or nanny to care for them. What companies can you find online that provide these services? Review two companies and compare their company philosophy, experience, reputation, guarantees, and costs.