Listening

Introducing the Iceman

One of the most interesting people in history is probably someone you have never heard of. 

We will call him “Iceman“ because his body was frozen in ice for several thousand years.

His body was discovered in 1991 by two hikers in the mountains near the border of Austria and Italy. 

The lower part of his body was still frozen in ice, but the upper part was uncovered and visible.

Once the body was extracted(提取) from the ice, it was taken in for examination.

Upon examination, scientists determined that the Iceman lived around 5300 years ago. 

This was at the end of the Stone Age, nearly 1000 years before the great pyramids(金字塔) were built. 

This made him the oldest mummy(木乃伊) ever found.

Iceman's body was in good condition when it was found.

People believed that the body was one of many hikers who had been lost in recent years. 

Nobody suspected that the body was as old as it was.

It has been preserved by the ice for thousands of years.

Given its good condition, studying it was like opening a window in time. 

Scientists could learn a lot about how people lived 5000 years ago.

The Iceman lived at the end of the Stone Age, a time of great change in human history.

Hunting was still a major source of food, but people was beginning to farm.

People was settling down and forming communities. 

These communities were claiming territory and setting up boundaries.

As a result, sometimes they had to fight to defend their territory from outsiders. 

The village where the Iceman lived was probably not far from where he died.

Perhaps he was killed in a battle with outsiders.

Communities were claiming territory and fighting to defend from the outsiders. 

It was in good condition because it had been persevered by the ice.

Death of the Iceman

Iceman was about 45 years old when he died.

He was 1.6 meters tall and weighed about 50 kilograms when he was alive. 

Along with the body were some other objects.

These included some weapons, including a bow and arrow, a knife and an ax.

He was still wearing one of his shoes and he had a backpack with a wooden frame.

He also had some plants that may have been used for medical purposes.

Further examination of the body showed that he was well fed, with a diet of meat, bread and fruit. 

In fact, he had eaten several meals within a few hours of his death.

From all the evidences, he probably had a good life.

Perhaps he was hunting for food when he was caught in a sudden storm.

For several years after the discovery of the body, scientists believed that he died from the cold. 

Weather is unpredictable in the area where he was found, so perhaps he was caught in an unexpected storm. 

However, ten years after his body was found, new evidence pointed to a new cause of death.

In 2001, examiners x-rayed the body and found an arrowhead deep in the Iceman's chest. 

Further analysis revealed that the Iceman had been shot from behind.

The arrow had cut through an artery(动脉) and had caused severe bleeding. 

Clearly, it was a case of murder, the oldest case of murder ever discovered. 

Vocabulary

Regulations in Company

To sue：to take someone to court in a legal disagreement.

They broke our contract and didn't pay, so we sued them and won.

She sued her employer for firing her, but she lost because they had the right to fire her.

When she left her job she sued her employer for not keeping its promise to pay her a bonus.

To restrict：to put limits on something. 

This is a restricted area, so stay away.

We need to restrict them from talking to anyone about our project.

We have unlimited access to their research and there are no restrictions on how we use the information.

To negotiate：to deal with or bargain with others to reach an agreement. 

Instead of starting a war, we should negotiate and find a way to compromise. 

We are trying to negotiate a better deal, but it isn't easy.

If we agree to buy more, then we can negotiate for a volume discount.

Responsible for or responsible to：to be responsible for something means to have the job of getting it done or taken care of.

If you are responsible to someone it means that you are working under their control.

Oversee or supervise(监督)：to control or direct a process or project.

One of his responsibilities was to supervise the rescue operations and keep things under control. 

As product manager, she oversees the work of several departments.

It's my responsibility to oversee how things are being done and then make recommendations to the CEO.

if something is confidential, you should restrict access to it.

We have many responsibilities, but she is the one responsible for product development.

Business Terms

To merge：to combine or come together.

Those two companies used to be competitors, but now they have merged into one company. 

When the two companies merged, many people were laid off.

When the two companies merged, some of their best people left and started another company.

To acquire：to buy or take possession.

Some big companies grow by acquiring other companies.

One way to protect your business is to acquire your competitors.

An agenda：a plan or list of items to be discussed at a meeting. 

The agenda for the meeting is still unclear.

What are the main points on the agenda for the meeting?

There are too many items on the agenda, so we need to cut it down and focus on fewer things.

A contract：a written document that defines the rules in a relationship.

A contract isn't usually useful until things begin to go badly in a relationship. 

According to our contract, their first payment is due next week.

It took a long time to agree on a contract because their lawyers kept finding issues that kept us apart.

Assets and liabilities：assets are what you own and liabilities are what you owe.

Knowing the assets and liabilities of a company helps determine a company's value.

The company had more liabilities(负债) than assets(资产), so we decided not to invest.

Dialogue

Quitting a Job 

Boss：Good morning, Lisa. What was it you wanted to see me about?

Lisa：Good morning. Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, I know it's a busy time for you. 

Boss：That's ok. Lisa. I can see that you're upset about something. Is something wrong?

Lisa：Yes, actually, there is. And I've been thinking about it a lot. To make it short, I've decided to leave the company.

She has been thinking about it a lot.

Boss：You're going to leave?

Lisa：Yes, I think it's best. I‘m really not happy here any more. 

Boss：Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Have you found another job?

Lisa：No, it isn't that. My husband and I have just decided that I really don't need to work.

Boss：Well, I'm sorry to hear that you want to leave. But I really want you to reconsider. You have only been here for a year. That isn't very long, and it wouldn't help your resume if you decide to look for a job in the future.

Lisa：Yes, that may be true, but staying here is really stressful. You may not be aware of it, but I have real problems with my supervisor, Bill.

She has some serious problems working with her supervisor. Bill is her supervisor, so he supervises her work.

She's been working there for about a year.

Boss：Oh, what kind of problems?

Lisa：He takes on projects and assigns them to me with no regard for my other responsibilities. It's just too much. Then he takes all the credit for my work. Maybe I'm just too sensitive.

Boss：Yes, I know he can act that way. And I have told him this area he needs to improve. Anyway, there are people like that in every organization.

Boss：I know it's difficult but you need to learn how to deal with people like him. 

Lisa：Well, I don't know. It's really stressful. It isn't easy for me that talk to him.

Boss：Listen, Lisa. You have great potential, and I don't want to lose you. If you already had a job offer, I wouldn't stand in your way. But since you don't, I really want you to stay.

Lisa：I appreciate you saying that. It means a lot.

Boss：So, will you please reconsider your decision? 

Lisa：Yes, I'll talk to my husband.

Boss：As for Bill, please try to work with him for a bit longer. This is part of your learning experience. 

Lisa：Thanks, I really appreciate your advice. You're a great sales person. I'm feeling better already. 

Boss：You're welcome, Lisa. I need you to stay. Please give it at least another year.

She had sold Lisa on the idea of staying for another year.