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Family Business
简体
Family Business
家族企业

Learn About The Unreal Past Tense

Date: Apr 11 2012

Themes: Family, Work

Grammar: The Unreal Past

Intro

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Picking a career isn’t easy. And once you’ve decided what kind of career you want, it can be just as hard, if not harder, to actually get the job you want. That’s what makes the idea of a family business seem so attractive at times.

A family business is a business that the same family owns from generation to generation. The parents pass it on to their children, who pass it on to their children, and so on. Often family businesses involve a special craft, like a bakery with secret family recipes.

Marni likes the idea of having a family business. But Amy’s mother owns a business, and Amy decided not to go into it. Find out why, as she and Marni discuss the pros and cons of having a family business.

选择职业并不容易。一旦您选择了职业,或许会举步维艰,如果不想那么艰难,就从事你喜欢的职业吧。这或许就是为什么有时家族企业如此具有吸引力的原因。
家族企业是同一家族将一家企业从一代人传给下一代人。家长将企业传给他们的子女,子女再将企业传给自己的子女,就这样一代代向下传。通常家族企业会拥有特殊手艺,比如面包店有神秘的家族秘方。
玛尼想拥有家族企业。艾米的妈妈拥有一家企业,但艾米却不想继承它。听她和玛尼讨论拥有家族企业的利弊并找出原因。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Amy

Amy

Marni:  You know, I have been looking for another job, and I…gosh, sometimes I wish my family had a business I could just go into.

Amy:  You know, it’s funny you should say that, because my mom owns a business, and when I was younger, I didn’t want to do what she did. I wanted to have my own thing. And I ended up going into a totally different field. But every once in a while, I think, why didn’t I? I could have this business. I could just inherit it. I’d be all set up. It would be so easy, and I know about it anyway because I was around it all the time growing up. So I sympathize with you. But at the same time, you don’t want to just follow in your parents’ footsteps. You want to strike out on your own, you know?

Marni:  Sure. Gosh, it would be nice, though, I think, just to inherit a family business and know that that’s what you’re gonna go into, and be in that world growing up, being surrounded by it, and so you just learn all the ins and outs.

Amy:  It’s true, especially if it’s a craft, like if your family is just really, really good at making jewelry or doing something really special. But at the same time, there’s always that one black sheep of a son who ends up ruining the business. So sometimes it’s not good to have a family business, because you just have someone who’s inherited it, but isn’t actually the best person to run it.

Marni:  Right.

 

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Discussion

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Marni has been looking for a new job and says that she wishes her family had a business. That would make it easier for her to find a job and know what kind of job she should do.

But Amy thinks it’s not as simple as that. Her mom owns a business, and Amy chose not to go into the same field. She wanted to find a career of her own instead of following in her mother’s footsteps. She thinks it’s important to be independent.

At the same time, Amy can sympathize with Marni. She admits that it might have been easier for her to go into the family business. But she says that sometimes a child who inherits the family business, but isn’t good at running it, can end up destroying it. So having a family business isn’t always a good idea.

Do you know anyone with a family business? Would you want to go into the family business if your family had one?

 

Comments

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wannicho

wannicho

China

feel like haven’t been here for ages , I’ve been caught up with my prom dress shop  www.pincesspromdress.com  , and that’s part of the reason why i land on this page today . but i don’t have a family business that handed by my parents , so i have to start something of my own and i am quite enjoyed the process. have no steps to follow , no pressure while i can make it a success or not 

12:12 PM Nov 02 2013 |

chenxzboy

chenxzboy

China

Existence is reasonable

01:16 PM Apr 22 2012 |

AUL

AUL

Azerbaijan

interesting theme i think it would be very amazing to have family business and of course it is very big responsibility thanks for lessonSmile

02:35 PM Apr 15 2012 |

fabiana21

fabiana21

Spain

I prefer start my own business alone, maybe with their help.


05:50 PM Apr 13 2012 |

1 person likes this

CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

Criz, your opinion is totally different with mine, unless you try to challenge yourself by testing your ability lol

05:47 AM Apr 13 2012 |

Crizsearch

Crizsearch

Indonesia

We have family business and at first my dad thought that I had to inherit the business. But sorry dad! When I grow I found out that I wasn’t really into it. I think it’s alright to pick our own carrier. We don’t have to follow our parents foot step. We have right to do what we like in our life. Of course before turned to another field I had to ask their opinion. But simply they said okay. My choice :D . The only thing I need to prove to them is I can make them proud of me. Wait…... let me see if my brothers want to continue our family business. :)

07:35 AM Apr 12 2012 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I think it’s a brilliant idea - Family Business. And blessed those fathers who give a set up path for their sons and daughters just to follow their steps. Mostly the business within a family works well and why not? A son, a chip of the old block, will see his father working hard building the future for the family and will do the same thing and even better full of commitment. The pros – you’re not to be afraid to get fired, it’s within a family - less stressful, tense. You’ve got more freedom, work for yourself, can come up with any brilliant idea and it won’t be turned down by higher rank managers. Less burocracy.


The cons—If the business is new, there’s always insecurity about the customers that they won’t come. Working on weekends, no goverment benefits, wanted to do something different in your life. There might be some disagreement between relatives, so it’s always better to wittle down to one family. Partnership (friends, other distant relatives) is not welcome in a family  business. One owner only.


 

10:36 PM Apr 11 2012 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Actually there are a big difference when you want to talk about the private business with the charity business , I know any work need money but if you want to make any project you should care of the poor people .


I have never seen anyone from my family has family business , If I want to talk about others , frankly there are a lot people have family business in my country , mostly of trade seeking to family business because they didnt have enough money In order to think about the huge companies .


I will describe our condition here , we live under the Israel occupation , we didn’t have enough natural resources , we suffer from the frightening unemployment as others countries ,It would nice if I have family business I’m looking to help them , I know all this condition because when I graduated  I suffrered from such bad atmosphere .


Very important when you have family business with your wife or special friend , It would be nice .


10:31 PM Apr 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

cheer manal

Morocco

I would be pleasant to run a family business in case if i´m really enticed by that field, if not i will prefer to start from scratch, and do something i will be content with. actually you can be more productive when loving what you are doing. but if all doors are shutting at my face i will surely go into it and try to be in charge of it.   

09:27 PM Apr 11 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Slavic .  Your comment is very appropiate   about  families  who  had  given  their entire  life  to run a business and their  new generation  show no interest to follow in the footsteps  .   Now their  parents are old  and tired , the only choice  for them  is to sell  the business.Embarassed     

07:22 PM Apr 11 2012 |

♥♥♥Y A N A♥♥♥

Armenia

I do’nt like family business…i want to start my own business alone like FUN777..it will be cool…and who knows.maybe one day i would have my own business)))Smile


07:00 PM Apr 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

FUN777

FUN777

Egypt

Not really, for me i prefer to start my own business alone.

06:37 PM Apr 11 2012 |

saramees

saramees

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

it so helpful in deed , I’ve got alot of new idioms here which are good and useful.

04:55 PM Apr 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

Slavic miracle

Russian Federation

I think that family business is a good one for younger people who didn’t know what they want from this life.


It’s a first opportunity to reveal your skills and whishes. But at the same time.. if you don’t like your own family deals and you don’t like this field? It will be your choice to strike out on you sphere, but your parents who gave whole life to their business will lose it, or will sell it. And they will not understand you probably.


In USSR there wasn’t a business at all. In 1990th, in Russia, it just had been growing. And now there is a first generation that can to inherit any family business. How would it be? Will see.. maybe it will be popular :)

02:15 PM Apr 11 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Catcher,  then start your own business  in a partnership with your sis.   Kiss

11:20 AM Apr 11 2012 |

CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

Family business is cool, I will be glad if my family had a business, I would learn to develop my family business, just stay focus and learn more. And I don’t have to think what should I study, what job I would like to have. :D .Too bad our family have no family business.

11:16 AM Apr 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

Mnal.hello,    maybe you are lucky,  when there is money involved  our dearest families can turn into enemies ,this is not always the case  though. Wink

10:55 AM Apr 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

My brother  was in a peaceful  partnership with two cousins, after many years of hard, really hard work,  their    business  in the  elaboration  and packing of  ham   thrived  and they could live a prosperous life  ,the problem started  when the new generations came along ,they had hit the jackpot,didn´t understand of sacrifice and hard work, jealousy, ill-feeling  among the boys  was the caused  that my brother  has to take a stand  for his son and  and start fighting with his partners and ultimately  going to the court  .He is now on his own. What a pity !!!Cry  

10:50 AM Apr 11 2012 |

Irene Forever

Ukraine

My son has a family business. His partner is his wife.:)


What is most important in business while you work with cofounders?


First -  trust, second – material incentive, third – proficiency. All the three factors are presented in a family business.


It’s not a secret that business can not only prosper but also  burst. In such a case the matter of settling problems might  be adjusted with less of blood.:)

09:47 AM Apr 11 2012 |

CTheSky

Malaysia

For me, if my family had a family business, I will inherit it if I really like this business. But I will try another field if I don’t like it at all… because for me, it is hard to be happy, painful and meaningless if I doing something I do not interest although I may be can get some great achievement on it one day… 

09:36 AM Apr 11 2012 |

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