Welcome to Sahara English Oasis! Let’s talk about everything. Here istoday’s practice. “Hey there, how’s it going? Have you everthought about how insurance can be a real lifesaver when unexpected eventsoccur?” “Yeah, I partly agree with you. Insuranceis a way to safeguard one’s well - being in emergencies when somethingunexpected happens. But I prefer saving money in the bank.” “Ah, that’s an interesting point. Savingmoney is definitely a good strategy. How do you think having insurance mightgive you peace of mind that savings alone can’t?” “I don’t think so.” It’s true. I do havesome basic medical insurance, which can cover some medical costs duringhospital visits. Nice! It sounds like you’ve got a goodgrasp of the basics of medical insurance. Can you think of other types ofinsurance that might be useful in daily life? I believe there are some insurance types,such as life insurance for passengers who take flights regularly. Exactly! Travel insurance is extremelyhandy, especially for frequent flyers. It can cover things like tripcancellations or lost luggage. Do you know what liability insurance is? I’m not sure. Can you explain it to me? Sure! Liability insurance providesfinancial protection when you’re responsible for harming someone or damagingtheir property. It’s commonly included in car insurance policies. Have you everused your car insurance? Yes, I occasionally drive. Once, our carrear - ended another car, and we went through the insurance process to coverthe costs. Oh, I hope everything worked out well inthe end. 你觉得处理保险理赔的过程怎么样？总体来说，这个过程快速、高效又便捷，但还是挺麻烦、挺费时间的，毕竟我们得去保险公司，还得修车。 我明白这可能有点麻烦，但听到理赔过程快速高效还是很棒的。说到这儿，你知道在保险领域“保费”是什么意思吗？ 我不太清楚。你能详细给我讲讲保费吗？ 当然可以。保费就是你为保险单支付的金额。 说保费就像是一种订阅费用，用以维持你的保险生效。保费的价格取决于多种因素，比如你选择的保险类型。 你知道“免赔额”是什么意思吗？ 如果我理解正确的话，免赔额意味着你先自行承担一部分费用。 你理解得没错。免赔额就是在保险公司开始赔付之前，你需要自掏腰包支付的金额。在你支付了免赔额之后，保险通常会承担大部分的费用。 Why do you think insurance companies usedeductibles? I guess there are two main reasons. First,it’s more convenient for customers to handle the payment themselves and thenget reimbursement from the insurance company. Second, it helps prevent fraud inthe insurance process. You’re absolutely right! Deductiblesdiscourage people from filing small claims and also share the risk. Now, let’sshift the topic a bit. Have you heard of a policyholder? Iknow about insurers and the insured, but I’m not sure about policyholders.Could you explain that? Of course, a policyholder is a person whoowns an insurance policy. So, if you buy insurance, you become thepolicyholder. Now, do you know what it means when aninsurance policy lapses? It’s a concept that might seem a bit tricky, but I canexplain it in detail with some examples. No worries! An insurance policy lapses whenthe policyholder stops paying the premium. When this occurs, the insurancecoverage ends or lapses. For instance, if you stop paying your car insurancepremium, your car insurance will lapse, and you won’t be covered anymore. Whydo you think it’s important to keep up with premium payments? This topic is quite practical but a bitboring. Can we talk about other subjects, like how to become a good stand - upcomedian? Sure, we definitely can discuss speechtopics. Becoming a good stand - up comedianrequires a blend of humor, perfect timing, and a strong connection with theaudience. Have you ever tried doing stand - up comedy yourself? Yes, I’ve just created a stand - up comedyroutine. Could you please give me some suggestions for improvement? 今天，我在南京西路上路过一家名为“王家沙”的店铺。你知道的，这可是中国上海的一家老字号名店。我看到店前排着长长的队伍，好奇心一下子就被勾起来了，心想这里的食物说不定格外美味。我之前从未品尝过，于是便加入了排队的行列。大约十分钟后，终于轮到我了，我点了两个大肉圆和半斤熏鱼。 嘿，你这么绘声绘色地讲述，感觉这经历还挺有趣呢。要是能再添些当时你的感受或是周围氛围的描述就更棒啦。 Adding such details makes the story moreengaging. What did the “Wangjiasha” restaurant look like? How did the foodtaste? The restaurant was extremely crowded. Ithought the food there might be very delicious. I told the shop - assistant myorder, and then she went to prepare the food. After that, she gave me the bill.I didn’t even read it carefully. I just assumed that the fish and meatballs Iordered would cost me about thirty yuan. So, I took out a fifty - yuan note andhanded it to the cashier. However, she stared at me for a few seconds and askedif I had more money. I was completely taken aback. Then, she pointed at thebill. I saw the figure “63 yuan”, and it was so embarrassing! That’s a funny story. You did a great jobtelling it. To make it even more captivating, you could work on your timing andadd some facial expressions and gestures. Imagine standing in front of an audience,sharing jokes. How would you feel? I bet you’d be as nervous as a cat on a hottin roof. I know I would! Nervousness might make mymind go as blank as a chalkboard before class. So, I’d memorize the first part thoroughly.Once I nail that, my confidence would soar like a kite in the wind. Then, Icould be more spontaneous during the talk, making on - the - spot adjustmentshere and there to turn it into a real - time, engaging speech. Also, I wouldinteract with the audience. That’s a smart strategy. Being well -prepared yet ready to improvise can lead to a great performance. Do you watch stand - up comedy to pick uptips from the pros? Not yet. Could you recommend some comediansand share some successful techniques? Sure. Studying well - known stand - upcomedians and their routines can give you an understanding of different stylesand techniques. What kind of humor do you enjoy most? I enjoy jokes about daily life, those funnysmall moments that also convey some instructional or educational messages. That’s a great style as it resonates with manypeople. Everyday life can be very relatable. Have you considered incorporatingexperiences like the restaurant story into your comedy routine? Ah, yes, I’ll think about that. I’ll createa comedy routine based on restaurant experiences like this. At that moment, Ithought the cashier might be wondering what a weird lady I was, trying to get a63 - yuan commodity with only 50 yuan. That’s a great point. The line isunexpected and it wraps up the story beautifully. So, keep practicing andrefining your material, and you’ll do great.
