Saturday Morning Lesson #194
Today, we’ll cover a bit of business English in the context of a company that was once very successful but is now struggling.
Our word #1 is slump
noun [ C ]
UK US /slʌmp/
: a period when an industry or the economy is in a bad state and there is a lot of unemployment:
The airline industry is currently in a slump.
[Source]
Please take a look at this example and repeat it out loud:
(You have to reload the page if you want to watch the clip more than once.)
Our word #2 is to lag
verb [ I ]
UK US /læɡ/
: to move or make progress so slowly that you are behind other people or things:
lag behind: He’s lagging behind – I think we’d better wait for him to catch us up.
Sales are lagging at the moment.
Please take a look at this example and repeat it out loud:
(You have to reload the page if you want to watch the clip more than once.)
A lot of countries implemented universal health care in the 20th century — the UK, Canada, France — but the US always …
Our word #3 is to loiter
UK /ˈlɔɪ.tə/
US /ˈlɔɪ.tər/
Please take a look at this example and repeat it out loud:
(You have to reload the page if you want to watch the clip more than once.)
“I was a loiterer. I actually had a loitering problem when I was in high school. I really did.
Where did you loiter?
I would loiter the halls.”
I was a loiterer. I actually had a loitering problem when I was in high school. I really did.
Where did you …
I would …
Our world #4 is a mosh pit
noun [ C or S ] informal
UK /ˈmɒʃ ˌpɪt/
US /ˈmɑːʃ ˌpɪt/
: the area in front of the stage at a rock concert where members of the audience dance energetically and violently:
He lost his shoe in the middle of the mosh pit.
Often used metaphorically:
The school cafeteria during lunch break was basically a mosh pit of hungry students trying to get their food first.
Please take a look at this example and repeat it out loud:
(You have to reload the page if you want to watch the clip more than once.)
Our phrase #5 is to cost-save (one’s) way to (something)
verb, informal
To attempt to achieve a goal by minimizing costs, often at the expense of quality, experience, or other important factors:
The company tried to cost-save its way to a successful smartphone, but customers quickly noticed the cheap materials and lack of innovation.
Please fill in the blanks out loud with our word/phrase #1, 2, 3, 4, or 5:
The restaurant’s tiny pickup area became a …………. …………. of people waiting for their takeout orders.
The restaurant’s tiny pickup area became a mosh pit of people waiting for their takeout orders.
The restaurant’s tiny pickup area became a …
You can’t …………. your …………. to a luxury hotel experience.
You can’t cost-save your way to a luxury hotel experience.
You can’t …
to a luxury …
A group of teenagers were …………. outside the store.
A group of teenagers were loitering outside the store.
[Source]
A group of teenagers were …
The company cut over 8000 jobs during the last economic …………. .
The company cut over 8000 jobs during the last economic slump.
[Source]
The company cut over 8000 jobs during …
As the hike became steeper, some of the group members began to …………. behind.
As the hike became steeper, some of the group members began to lag behind.
As the hike became steeper, …
Time for our final clip. Watch the clips first, and then fill in the blanks out loud.
(You have to reload the page if you want to watch the clip more than once.)
Source: “Starbucks Prices Are Rising: How Its New CEO Plans to Save the Company | WSJ.” The Wall Street Journal. YouTube, Feb 20, 2025
This is Starbucks’ new ………….., Brian Niccol.
And these ………….. show why he was hired.
Starbucks is in a …………. .
The price of coffee has been ………….. .
Though mobile orders have increased, so have …………. times,
and sales are ………….. .
Niccol thinks these problems can be ………….. back to one source.
– We spent a lot of time trying to …………… out
how to ………….. our way to a very efficient drink
and not enough time on what is the experience that Starbucks …………… .
Right now, some customers say, “That experience isn’t ………….. .”
Free-to-the-public bathrooms have caused …………. and long lines
and mobile orders have created what former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz calls a ………….. pit,
a crowd of waiting customers ……………. people
from staying to enjoy their drink in store and …………… order more.
This is Starbucks’ new CEO, Brian Niccol.
And these charts show why he was hired.
Starbucks is in a slump.
The price of coffee has been rising.
Though mobile orders have increased, so have wait times,
and sales are lagging.
Niccol thinks these problems can be traced back to one source.
– We spent a lot of time trying to figure out
how to cost-save our way to a very efficient drink
and not enough time on what is the experience that Starbucks provides.
Right now, some customers say, “That experience isn’t positive.”
Free-to-the-public bathrooms have caused loitering and long lines
and mobile orders have created what former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz calls a mosh pit,
a crowd of waiting customers discouraging people
from staying to enjoy their drink in store and possibly order more.
This is …
And these charts show why …
Starbucks is …
The price of coffee …
Though mobile orders have increased, so have …
and sales are …
Niccol thinks these problems can be traced back to …
– We spent a lot of time trying to figure out
how to …
and not enough time on what is …
Right now, some customers say, “That experience …
Free-to-the-public bathrooms have caused …
and mobile orders have created what former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz calls …
a crowd of waiting customers discouraging people
from staying to enjoy their drink in store and possibly …
Do you like Starbucks, or would you recommend another coffee shop? Let me know in the comments below 🙂
See you next Saturday,
Ela Augustyniak
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