On the podcast ‘English Impulse Episode 2: cons vs. scams’, Annie and Clare discuss the difference between a con and a scam while reviewing what happened in the latest heist at the Louvre museum earlier this month. Have a listen, turn on the subtitles if needed and review some of the vocabulary and expressions used below.
VOCABULARY
Brazen
- an obvious attempt to do something.
- doing something without hiding it.
- The heist at the Louvre was a brazen robbery that took place in the middle of the day.
- If he is going to leave early from work every day, he shouldn’t be so brazen about it.
Heist
- a crime where valuable things are taken.
- I love the movie Ocean’s Eleven which is about a money heist in Las Vegas.
- In a heist, people usually have a very smart and strategic plan.
Bling
- very noticeable and expensive looking jewelry warn to get attention.
- It’s really not appropriate to wear so much bling to work.
- Bling became famous by many rap stars who began wearing very loud gold jewelry in their videos.
Scam
- a dishonest way of making money where someone is tricked into giving it away.
- Be aware that many people calling to get access to your computer are trying to scam you to get access to your private information.
- Annie and Clare suggest having a private passcode with family members in order to avoid phone scams where they impersonate your family members.
Con
- short for Confidence Scam.
- gaining someone’s trust in order to get them to give you something valuable.
- In the movie, Catch me if you can, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a famous con man which is based on a true story.
- Long term cons usually involve tricking people for years before they take what they want.
Expressions
To be worth something
- to be important or valuable enough to do something for it.
- Making the trip in person to meet the client is worth it since you can build trust more quickly.
- I know the theater can sometimes be expensive, but for me it’s worth it.
To get away with something
- To succeed at doing something wrong while avoiding punishment or getting caught.
- She got away with paying less taxes.
- He got away with coming home late since his parents feel asleep and didn’t hear him come in.
- Technically we are supposed to turn in our time sheets on Friday, but since no one is around today, we will get away with turning them in on Monday.
English Podcast
Now that you have listened to ‘English Impulse Episode 2: cons vs. scams’, have a listen to our episodes:
English Impulse episode 1: Pomp and gluttony
Wellness English Impulse: Episode 1: sleep or lack there of
