III. Listening In
Task 1: How to Solve Unemployment Problem
Script
Alan: I have a meeting with my accountant tomorrow morning. She’s preparing my income tax return, and I need to go over some of the receipts with her.
Pamela: Income tax return! Don’t you think the government just squanders our hard-earned tax on some unnecessary projects?
Alan: Sure, someone they do, but we are living pretty well and, to be honest, I don’t mind paying taxes. If I’m paying income tax, it means I’m earning would be much lower.
Pamela: If the poor would just get jobs, our taxes would be much lower.
Alan: Most people would rather work than receive charity, but the situation is complex: sometimes there are no jobs that they are trained for.
Pamela: Then they should take the needed training—upgrade their skills and knowledge to become more employable.
Alan: Training and upgrading cost money. Some government tax dollars are directed to programs that help the poor get jobs.
Pamela: But even when jobs are available, some of the unemployed don’t want to work. They would rather have a handout.
Alan: It’s partly a matter of education. Some people have to be educated to realize how much fuller their life would be if they were not dependent on charity.
Pamela: I think the government should attack unemployment by reducing the tax rate. That would put more money into people’s pockets, then they would spend more, and the spending would create more jobs for the poor.
Alan: Many people would agree with you.
Alan’s accountant is preparing his income tax return, so he needs to go over some of the receipts wit her. Pamela complains that the government just squanders people’s hard-earned tax money on some unnecessary projects. But Alan does not mind paying taxes, saying it means he is earning money, which is better than living on charity. Pamela insists that if the poor would just get jobs, taxes would bee much lower. Alan disagrees, saying most people would rather work than receive charity, but sometimes there are no jobs that they are trained for. But Pamela asserts that the jobless people should take the needed training to upgrade their skills and knowledge to become more employable. Alan believes that some of the government tax dollars are already directed to training and upgrading programs that help the poor to get jobs. When Pamela says some of the unemployed don’t want to work, preferring to have handouts, Alan points out that some people have to be educated to realize how much fuller their life would be if they ere not dependent on charity. Pamela is, however, more down-to-earth, thinking the government should attack unemployment by reducing the tax rate. That would give people more money; then, they would spend more, which would create more jobs for the poor. |