ESL Podcast 396 – Dealing in the Black Market

Jasinda: Was that your friend Mitch?

Thomas: Yeah, he and I had lunch today to talk about some business opportunities.

Jasinda: What line of work is he in?

Thomas: Well, I guess you could say he’s in the import/export business.

Jasinda: Hmm…Why are you being so shifty? Isn’t his business on the up and up? He doesn’t deal in the black market, does he?

Thomas: Let’s just say that he takes full advantage of a free market and there’s nothing wrong with the gray market.

Jasinda: You’re not telling me he deals in stolen goods, are you?

Thomas: No, no, nothing like that. Don’t be so naive¹. There is an entire underground economy in this country, which serves an important purpose. It gets people what they want.

Jasinda: Is he a smuggler²? Does he deal in counterfeit³ or pirated goods? Is that it?

Thomas: I’m not saying another word.

Jasinda: You did say that you were having lunch to talk about business opportunities. You’re not thinking of going into business with him, are you?

Thomas: It was just talk. Nothing is set in stone – yet.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 naive   

adj.幼稚的，轻信的；天真的

参考例句：

• It's naive of you to believe he'll do what he says.相信他会言行一致，你未免太单纯了。
• Don't be naive.The matter is not so simple.你别傻乎乎的。事情没有那么简单。

2 smuggler   

n.走私者

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight, awaiting extradition to Britain. 这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• The smuggler was finally obliged to inform against his boss. 那个走私犯最后不得不告发他的首领。

3 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。