Fortune Telling

 
 

Vocabulary

pray	relatively	synchronize
cycle	prosperity	according to
zodiac	based on	what’s in store
clever	equivalent	reading (2)
oracle	prediction	get in on the act
rating	soar (2)	entrepreneur
tycoon	turmoil	seek/sought/sought
earn	stable (2)	consultant
crisis	flock (2)	harmonious
crash	key (2)	surroundings
publish	pick (2)	sought after
flow	properly	productively
fail	traditional	depends on
CEO	cast (3)	Fortune 500
cope	revenue	background
client	rooster	presentation
gut	intuition	gut feelings
boost	analysis	fortune (2)
honor

 
 
 
 

Video: Fortune Telling

 
 
 
 

Transcript

The Year of the Rooster is being welcomed with prayers for health and happiness. Along with honoring the gods, people are flocking to get their fortunes told.

Many plan their year according to the Chinese zodiac. It’s all based on birthdates.

Wong Mi Kwan wants to know what’s in store for her daughter this year. For the equivalent of €40, she can find out.

Wong Mi Kwan: “My daughter is clever and hard-working. I want to know when she’ll marry and earn good money. After the reading, I know what to watch for.”

Television stations also get in on the act. For example, Hong Kong cable TV is recording predictions for the New Year with Master Yeo, which will bring them soaring ratings and advertising revenue.

Master Yeo cast coins to seek advice from the oracles. He earns more than a lawyer. The rooster will bring some turmoil, but the financial world should remain relatively stable.

Yeo Tin-Ming, Fortune Teller: “The last big financial crisis was in 2008. They come in ten-year cycles, so the next big crash won’t happen until 2018.

Master Yeo has published some twenty books. He also predicted the 2008 financial crisis, which has made him sought after with banks and business people.

He says feng sui and harmonious surroundings are also keys to success.

In Cambodia, he helped a businessman pick the best location for his factory.

Yeo Tin-Ming, Fortune Teller: “In a building with dead spots, chi, or life force, can’t flow properly. People can’t work productively.

Without good feng sui, a company will fail.”

Master Poon agrees. The former banker is now a feng sui consultant, with business clients all over the world.

He wants to help more companies get on the Fortune 500 list.

Feng Shui Poon (pseudonym), Feng Shui Consultant: “Because my background is coming from a banker, and I talk with those tycoons or big CEOs or entrepreneurs, I think my way presentation will be much easier from them to cope with, synchronize it and use in their corporate world.”

Feng shui masters also believe their success also depends on harmonious surroundings because most business deals are based on intuition and gut feelings.

Andy Wong agrees, feng shui helped boost revenue in his financial services company.

Andy Wong, Financial Services Manager: “We hope Master Poon’s analysis will help increase revenue even more — up to 200%

The Year of the Rooster bodes well for the financial industry. With Master Poon’s help, the company hopes the traditional greeting will come true: “May the New Year bring prosperity.”

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Questions

1. The Lunar New Year is a very busy time of the year. Yes or no?

2. Do many people visit fortune tellers? Why do they go to fortune tellers? Give an example.

3. Are TV stations reluctant to host prominent fortune tellers? Why do they welcome them?

4. Only ordinary, common people consult with Master Yeo. True or false? Is he familiar with business and economics? What is his theory?

5. Is the location and orientation of a building and its layout important or insignificant? Is this based on conventional physics and engineering?

6. Mr. Poon probably studied philosophy, religion and metaphysics in university. What do you think?

7. Are most major business decisions based on logic and analysis?

 
 

A. Are horoscopes and zodiacs popular? Do people believe in good luck and fortune?

B. Do people consult fortune tellers and mystics?

C. Feng shui could help my business, organization and career. What do you think?

D. What are the secrets to success, prosperity, happiness and fulfillment?

E. What will happen in the future?