Effortless English. Goats being hired

План действий:

1. Сначала прочитайте текст, главное не старайтесь его учить наизусть
2. Слушайте аудио-историю несколько раз
3. Слушайте аудио-историю и отвечайте на вопросы

Goats being hired text

 

Goats are being hired to do the work of men in a neighborhood outside of San Diego. The fires
that occurred in the neighborhood four years ago burned thirty homes. Most of the homes have
been rebuilt. While contractors were rebuilding the homes, nature was regrowing the grasses,
bushes, and shrubs. The area is once again overgrown with brush that poses a major fire hazard.

The city council asked for bids to remove the brush. The lowest bid they received was $50,000.
And that was if the city provided breakfast and lunch for the work crews for six weeks. The city
countered and offered unlimited coffee and a doughnut a day for each crew member. When that
offer was rejected, the city asked for help on its website.

A sheep herder in Montana and a goat herder in San Bernardino read about the city’s plight.
They read about it while surfing the web on their laptops. They both offered to do the job for
$25,000. The council chose the goat herder because he lived closer.

If all goes well, they will invite the goat herder and his goats back every three years. The goat
herder said he will probably visit San Diego while his goats are working. “I want to take one of
those hang-glider rides. I just hope we don’t crash. My goats would end up missing me a lot,”
he said.

Слушаем и отвечаем на вопросы

 

Vocabulary

• occurred: happened
• contractors: builders, companies that build
• regrowing: grow again
• once again: again
• brush: small plants, weeds
• poses: is, presents
• countered: counter offer, negotiation
• sheep herder: sheep owner, farmer
• goat herder: goat owner, farmer
• plight: problem
• surfing the web: using the internet
• hang-glider: un-powered plane
• end-up: do something unplanned or unexpected