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Act of Kindess

Jeff talks about a memorable experience in India with a very generous man.

Mike: In all of the traveling that you've done around the world, what is the best travel experience you have had? What's the most memorable travel experience you had in your adventures around the world?

Jeff: Well, that's a tough question Mike. That's like asking what's your favorite food because you love everything. Everything's delicious and to pick one is very difficult but I think it's very simple. I think it's --- I like to think of --- India is a crazy place. It's a circus of a country, in a good way. It's like a circus where have --- you never know what you're gonna see, and it's very entertaining, but the --- and it's one of the poorest

countries in the world, India, it's just full --- there's a billion people there, and six hundred million of them are very poor, but they're so happy and so friendly, I remember that one of my first --- my first trip to India, and one of my first days in India, there was a man, a chai wall. And a wala means like a little business man, and chai is tea, in India so this chai wall, he had his own little tea stand on the side of a busy road in Dehli, and it was a small stand, and it was noisy, and it was hot, and it was chaotic, and crazy and he sold his tea for two cents a cup, and when I sat down I started talking to this man and told him and it was like my first or second day in India, and you know, I had just come to the country for the first time, and he welcomed me to India and he said, you know, it's so good that you came to our country, and have some free tea, and he gave me my first cup of chai ever, for free, and this man, he had nothing. he lived on the street, and he slept beside his chai wala at night, and he had old ragged clothes on, and I just remembered that I'm very wealthy and he's very poor compared to him, but yet the hospitality that he showed by giving me that free cup of tea, when he really needed the money and the business. It stood out in my mind, even to this day, that the generosity even though he needs the money. He was still so generous and so nice and giving. It stands out in my mind that, you know, and I always want to try to be kind and nice like that.

Mike: Can I ask you a question?

Jeff: Sure.

Mike: Was there milk in the tea?

Jeff: Yes, there was. In India they call it dude, and it's buffalo milk, buffalo milk in the tea. It was great. Great tea. India chai is the best.

Mike: You just gave me a whole new meaning of the word dude. That's brilliant.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

pick

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Everything's delicious and to pick one is very difficult.

To pick something can mean to choose it over other items. Notice the following.

  1. I had a hard time picking out what to wear.
  2. Choose quickly or I will pick for you.

circus

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It's a circus of a country.

When we describe something as a circus, we mean it is crazy or chaotic, with lots of activity and no order. Notice the following:

  1. It is a circus at the mall today.
  2. After the scandal, there was a circus of media attention.

chaotic

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It was chaotic and crazy on the side of the road.

When something is chaotic that means it is not organized or there is no order. There is chaos. Notice the following:

  1. Everything is chaotic on the trading floor.
  2. It was chaotic after somebody screamed "snake"!

stand out

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His generosity stood out in my mind.

When something stands out, that means it is easy to notice and remember. Notice the following:

  1. He stood out because he was 7 feet tall.
  2. Foreigners always stand out when they travel.

generous

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He was very generous.

When someone is very generous that means they are very giving. Notice the following:

  1. My father is very generous. He is always giving to the poor.
  2. People like her for her generosity.

Vocabulary Quiz

pick • circus • chaotic
stand out • generous
  1. The best players always from the other players.
  2. My father is very with money.
  3. There was a media at the celebrity wedding.
  4. It is hard to my favorite book. I have read so many good ones.
  5. The mall was the day before Christmas.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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