BEP 17 (Redux) – Presenting an Argument (Part 1)

It’s our 4th anniversary and to celebrate, we’re bringing back one of our most popular podcasts as voted for by you, the listeners.  We’ve freshened up the examples and explanations, and we hope you’ll enjoy this new version.

When you’re making an argument, you’re trying to get others to see your point of view.  To do this, you need to present your argument – and it’s supporting details – in a clear and organized fashion.  Otherwise, it’s going to be difficult for your audience to follow your argument or support you.

Today, we’ll look at ways to make an initial recommendation and begin an organized argument.  Then, we’ll talk about how to sequence the points of your argument, how to add new points, and how to emphasize points so they have a greater impact on your listeners.
Here’s the scenario¹ for our dialog.  Jim, Dan, and Jack² work for an American guitar manufacturer.  Jack believes the company should build a new factory in Costa Rica to save money on production costs. Let’s hear how he organizes and supports his argument.

Listening Questions

1.  What is Jack’s recommendation?
2.  According to Jack, why is the company losing money?
3.  How does Jack explain that labor³ costs are more expensive than raw materials?

1 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

2 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。