Business Spotlight 08.2019

(Nancy Kaufman) #1
SKILL UP! 19

ESSENTIAL IDIOMS

Skill Up! Audio
You can do an exercise on
Business Spotlight Audio.

First, the idiomatic way
Jen: OK, as the number crunch-
er on the team, what do you say?
Should we cook the books?
Brian: If that’s a joke, it’s not funny.
Jen: I just don’t want to pull the
plug.


Now, more simply
Jen: OK, as the person on the
team who is good with num-
bers, what do you say? Should we
change the accounts so they look
better than they really are?
Brian: If that’s a joke, it’s not funny.
Jen: I just don’t want to close the
business by stopping the money
needed to continue.


First, the idiomatic way
Brian: The auditors gave us a
clean bill of health. And the in-
vestors another cash injection.
Jen: As well as a blank cheque?
Brian: Not exactly. They expect to
get a slice of the pie. A bigger slice.

Now, more simply
Brian: The auditors confirmed we
are operating correctly and our fi-
nances are correct. And the inves-
tors gave us more money.
Jen: As well as complete freedom
to spend as much money as we
want?
Brian: Not exactly. They expect to
get a share of the company and its
profits. A bigger slice.

number cruncher ifml.
, Zahlenfreak
cook the books ifml.
, die Geschäfts-
bücher frisieren

pull the plug ifml.
, den Stecker ziehen,
den Hahn zudrehen

clean bill of health
, Persilschein;
hier: Unbedenklich-
keitsbescheinigung
cash injection
, Finanz-, Geldspritze

blank cheque
, Blankoscheck
slice of the pie:
get a ~
, ein Stück vom
Kuchen abbekommen

First, read the two versions of
the short conversations. Then
cover up the simpler version
and read the idiomatic dialogue
again. Can you remember the
meanings?

Don’t pull
the plug
yet!
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