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Mixer #111 | Intermediate B1

A Million Dollars

Listen as a group of people talk about what they would do if they had a million dollars.
Cheryl / Guam
speakerIf I had a million dollars what would I do? Well first, I would take a portion of that money and put it into savings. That way I would not be able to spend that moneylater. Secondly, I would probably take some money and go traveling around the world. I would do everything that I've always wanted to do on my to do list in life. And lastly I would give money to charities and churches and the rest would be given to my family and friends and everyone I love would be given an amazing present.

Jake / United States
speakerI would buy an expensive house on a tropical island somewhere and a yacht and I would buy a very, very nice car and a private jet. I don't know if a million dollars would buy all this stuff now. But I would just spend my days enjoying life.

Nydja / United States
speakerIf I won a million dollars I personally would ... I would probably quit work and apply to a better university. You need money to get into college in the states so that would really help me out. I think I'd definitely buy a new house, maybe not a huge mansion but I wouldn't be renting anymore that's for sure.

Jonathan / Canada
speakerIf I won a million dollars what would I do? I don't have the need to have any special large possessions such as a house or expensive car. I think that I would put the million dollars somewhere safe where there is no risk of anything, like the stock market, and I would live off the interest for the rest of my life. Even in a very safe circumstance, the return would probably be three or four percent being thirty or forty thousand dollars a year and I think that I could comfortably live off of that which would allow me to travel and see the places in the world that I haven't been to yet.

Mauro / Brazil
speakerWow! This question's really great. What would I do with a million dollars? Wow! I would probably invest all this money, but invest in my own businesses. These days I just think about making business, starting a business, so I just want to work for myself, so I would probably invest my money creating businesses and working for myself. It would be something really like that.

Nick / Australia
speakerA million dollars! If I won a million dollars, I'd go around the world. I haven't been to Africa and I'd really like to go. Secondly, I'd buy a really big house with a really big television. Then after, if I had any money left, I would invest. Maybe give some to my parents.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson!

a portion

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I would take a portion of that money and put it into savings.

A portion is a part or a piece of the whole. Note the samples.

  1. I'll take a very small portion of ice cream please.
  2. I'm only going to take a portion of the exercise class because I have to leave early.

to do list

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I would do everything on my to do list.

A "to do" list is a checklist of things that you have written down to help you remember what you need to do. Here are two samples.

  1. My to do list just keeps gettting bigger.
  2. I keep my to do list right in my phone.

possesions

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I don't have the need to have any special large possessions such as a house or expensive car.

Possessions are things that you have or things that you own. Notice the following.

  1. People who have kids tend to have more possessions than single people.
  2. Sometimes I want to just get rid of my possessions and live in the mountains.

the return

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The return would probably be three or four percent

A return is interest or money that you earn on an investment. Here are a couple of examples.

  1. The return on my savings account is really low, only 1% percet.
  2. He put a lot of money into his business and it gave him a huge return.

a huge mansion

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I might buy a huge mansion but I wouldn't be renting anymore.

A mansion is a very, very large expensive house. Notice the following.

  1. Most Hollywood stars have a mansion and sometimes more than two or three.
  2. A vacation in a mansion would be fun but living there everyday would get boring.

Vocabulary Quiz

portion • to do list • possessions
the return • a huge mansion
  1. I try to live without lots of major .
  2. You can have a of my cake if you want.
  3. That would be awesome to live in .
  4. When she sold her house was huge -- she made about $50,000.
  5. Today I'm spending all day on my .
Answer the following questions about the interview.

One Minute English Video

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Mixer Video #111
What would you do with a million dollars?

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