Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

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  1. turn out to (be/do something)
    • ex. I thought the cake was going to be too sweet, but it turned out to be delicious!
  2. give back
    • ex. Many pro athletes give back to their community by volunteering.
  3. cryptocurrency
    • ex. Some stores have started to accept cryptocurrency.
  4. optional
    • ex. You don’t have to do it. It’s optional.
  5. federal
    • ex. Is it a state law or a federal law?

Article

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A customer at a restaurant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, recently left a $3,000 (about ¥408,000) tip for his server. Eric Smith said that he was really impressed with his meal and the service, so he decided to give a more than 22,000% tip on the $13.25 (about ¥1,800) bill. Mariana Lambert, Smith’s server, said that she’s still in shock.

When Lambert saw the tip, tears came to her eyes, and she started to shake. At first, she and her manager were afraid that the tip was fake, but it turned out to be real. Smith is originally from the Scranton area and said that he wanted to give back after making a lot of money from cryptocurrency.

In the US, tipping is optional, but many people tip between 15 and 25%. If you don’t give any tip, your server may ask why. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 (about ¥990) an hour, but for employees who receive tips, it’s only $2.13 (about ¥290) an hour. Restaurant server is the most well-known job for tips, but bartenders, taxi drivers, hairstylists, and many others also receive them.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

The $3,000 Tip

  • Smith said that he was impressed with his server AND the meal. In your opinion, should Lambert share the tip with the cook? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, why were Lambert and her manager afraid that the tip was fake at first? Discuss.
  • Smith said that he wanted to give back to his community. In your opinion, is giving a really big tip a good way to give back? Why or why not? Discuss.

Tipping

  • In your opinion, is it okay for employees who receive tips to have a much lower minimum wage? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you're eating at a restaurant in the US, and the food is really bad. Will you tip your server? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and hairstylists get tips, but teachers, doctors, and nurses don't. In your opinion, what is the reason for this? Discuss.