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Speaker 1: Something interesting. I started my own company, Happy English in

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twenty ten, but it wasn't until several years later that

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it dawned on me that both of my grandfathers were

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also entrepreneurs. As immigrants, their families came to America seeking

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the prosperity and upward mobility that came along with the

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American Dream. I think that's where I get my ambition

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and perseverance. Let's discuss.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to another Happy English podcast, coming to you from

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New York City, and here's your English teacher, Michael.

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Speaker 1: All right, thank you John, and thanks everyone. It's Michael

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here from Happy English and I help people speak English better.

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This is Happy English Podcast, Episode seven third, The American Dream.

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In this episode, I'll share the story of what the

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American Dream means, how it has influenced people's goals and ambitions,

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and then we'll look at some key vocabulary words that

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will help you understand and talk about this idea. Let's

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get started. The American Dream is more than just a phrase.

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It's an idea that has driven the hopes and ambitions

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of countless people for generations. At its core, the American

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Dream represents the belief that anyone, regardless of their background

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can achieve success through hard work, determination, and perseverance. This

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idea has inspired people from all over the world to

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come to the United States hoping to build a better

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life for themselves and their families. The origins of the

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American dream can be traced back to the early days

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of the United States, when settlers came to the New

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World seeking freedom and opportunity. Over time, this dream evolved

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to include the pursuit of not just survival, but prosperity.

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It's often said that the American dream is all about

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having the opportunity to rise from humble beginnings to great success,

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whether that means owning a home, getting a good education,

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or starting a business. However, achieving the American dream has

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never been easy. It often requires people to overcome significant

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obstacles and face challenges head on. For some, the dream

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might seem like a long shot, but many believe that

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with enough effort and determination, anything is possible. This belief

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in upward mobility, the idea that you can move up

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the social and economic ladder through hard work, has shaped

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the ambitions of generations of Americans. In modern times, the

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American dream continues to influence how people think about their

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goals and what it means to be successful. Whether it's

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striving for financial security, personal fulfillment, or the freedom to

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pursue your own passions, the American Dream remains a powerful

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force in shaping the aspirations of individuals across the country.

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And now let's check out some of the key vocabulary

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from this lesson. The first word is the noun perseverance.

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Perseverance means the determination to do something despite different difficulty

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or delay in achieving success. Here are some examples. When

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starting your own business, you need to work hard and

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have perseverance. Perseverance is essential when pursuing the American Dream,

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as the journey can be challenging. Through perseverance, Lucy was

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able to graduate from college and build a successful career. Next,

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the story mentioned the idea of upward mobility, which means

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the idea of being able to move to a higher

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social class or economic position for example. Upward mobility is

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a key aspect of the American Dream, allowing people to

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improve their lives. Frank's new job offered him upward mobility

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with opportunities for promotions and higher pay. Education is often

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seen as a pathway to upward mobility. He in the

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United States, the noun prosperity means the state of being successful,

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especially when people have money and everything that is needed

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for a good life. Here are some examples. The American

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dream involves achieving prosperity through hard work and determination. Many immigrants,

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like my Italian grandparents, came to the United States seeking

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prosperity for themselves and their families. The community's prosperity grew

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as new businesses and jobs were created. The last word

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for today is ambition, which means a strong desire to

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achieve something, usually requiring determination and hard work. Here are

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some examples. Jack's ambition to succeed in his career drove

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him to work long hours and take on challenging projects.

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The American dream is closely linked to the ambition to

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improve one's life and achieve success. Ms Johnson's ambition led

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her to pursue a higher education and strive for a

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leadership position. Keep in mind, the best way to remember

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this and any other word or phrase in English is

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to take that word or phrase, write it in a

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sentence that's true for you or true in your world,

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and then memorize your sentences. Did you know that you

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can get the chance to practice this kind of English

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with me directly. You can get more practice using your

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English when you join my podcast Learner's study group. There

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you can make new friends, join us for live group

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lessons every week where we practice these podcast lessons together.

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Plus you get access to the pdf, transcript and audio

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download for every Happy English podcast in the past and

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in the future. And on top of that, each episode

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has exercises where you can practice this English point with

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speaking and writing checked by me. To learn more, just

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visit Myhappy English dot com and choose podcast lesson seven

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thirty nine. Remember, learning another language is not easy, but

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it's not impossible, and I'm here to help you on

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your journey.

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Speaker 2: This podcast is brought to you by Happy English. Please

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visit Myhappy English dot com show your support for Happy

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English by leaving us a review. Get English, Get Happy,

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Happy English.