Zhang Xin: China's real estate mogul

To my dear and highly committed student Gaby M.

Before you watch

Look at the woman in the picture. Do you know who she is? Make assumptions about her age- nationality- job- etc using MIGHT- MUST- CAN’T

  

Before you watch, focus on some language that will appear in the video. It will help you undertand the video better and see the expressions in use!

COLLOCATIONS

ADJECTIVES

1.      Real Estate                              business

2.      Assembly                                line

3.      Sweatshop                              corruption

4.      Uncertain                                billionaire

5.      Thriving                                   people

6.      self-made                                developer/ bubble

7.      cutting edge/ futuristic              future

8.      a one way                                skyscraper

9.      Funny looking                         girl

10.  Widespread                            ticket (to London)

VERBS

1.      Go back                                 duties

2.      Split                                       for democracy/ food/

3.      Earn                                       a scholarship/ a masters in economics

4.      look down                              home

5.      crave                                      on the poor

 

Watch

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zhang-xin-chinas-real-estate-mogul-11-08-2013/

Watch the introduction.What is said about the woman in the picture above? Check (√)  the statement which are right.

Her name is Zhang Xin           She’s 30 years old        
She’s a real estate developer.                     She’s a communist                   
                  She’s now in Wall Street                               
  She’s a  mogul                        She’s come into a fortune

Watch the rest of the video, pause it every 3 minutes and make connections with the help of the following collage.

Watch the video again and put the following events in order:

·         At age 14 she was forced to slave away on assembly-lines as a sweat shop girl in Hong Kong.

·         She was born during the Cultural Revolution, when Mao Zedong brutally purged all the capitalists and intellectuals ("running dogs.")

·         She came back to China and met Pan Shiyi (her future husband), who worked in real estate

·         She decided to get married in 4 days.

·         She earned a scholarship to the University of Sussex

·         She ended up working at a fish and chips stand

·         She got a masters in economics from Cambridge

·         She got hired by Goldman Sachs and sent to the US  to work in the field of investment banking.(competitive and cutthroat)

·         Her parents were sent to countryside (re-education camp)

·         She quit the job at Goldman Sachs and started working with Pan in RE with no money or backing

·         She bought a one way ticket to London - packed up her bags, and left.

·         She went back to England but changed her mind after a short while.

      ·         She got pregnant with the first of their two sons, while Pan was making a success of       
              the company.  (SOHO China)


REVISITING CONDITIONAL 3

Think of Zhang’s life. What would have happened if…?

1.      She hadn’t worked in a sweatshop?

2.      She hadn’t moved  to London?

3.      She hadn’t learned English?

4.      She hadn’t studied economics?

5.      She hadn’t worked in Goldman Sachs?

6.      She hadn’t met her husband Pan?

7.      She and Pan had had some backing at the outset?

8.      She hadn’t changed her mind about leaving China?

9.      She hadn’t been such a gifted designer?

10.  She hadn’t got pregnant?

  
DISCUSS

·         What strikes you about Zhang Xin’s life and career? Do you think she might be a source of inspiration for women in China? Why? Why not?

Transcript

Key to exercises  


FOLLOW UP

 ·         The following are some terms/ names the video makes reference to. How much do you know about them? Pick one or two, do research and be ready to present it/them.

COMMUNIST SOCIALIST CHINA                THE AMERICAN DREAM 

                              THE GREAT WALL                    THE CITY OF BEIJING
                

                        WALL STREET

SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE WOMEN IN THE WORLD                 

SWEATSHOPS IN CHINA                     FISH & CHIPS STANDS

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