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Feifei: Hello I'm Feifei and welcome to
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The English We Speak.
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Rob: And hello, I'm Rob.
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Feifei: You're looking pleased with
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yourself, Rob.
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Rob: I am. I've just booked
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these dirt cheap – I mean really cheap –
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flights to Ibiza!
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Feifei: Wonderful!
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Rob: Look at the price - 20 pounds return!
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That means extra money to spend on
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food, drink and partying.
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Feifei: Let's have a look… hold on. The
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basic price is 20 pounds, but look at the
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tax you have to pay on top. One hundred pounds!
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Rob: Eh? Let me see. You're right.
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Grrr, I hate paying tax.
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Feifei: I guess you could say it's a
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necessary evil.
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Rob: Hmm, you could say that – if you
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mean it's something bad that can't be
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avoided, and you have to accept it in
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order to achieve a good result.
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Feifei: That's exactly what I meant, Rob.
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If it can't be avoided, like paying tax on a
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plane ticket, then it's a necessary evil.
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Let's hear some examples, shall we?
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For me, exams are a necessary evil – you
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have to do them to get a place at university.
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Sitting in traffic for hours is a
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necessary evil if I want to drive to the seaside on a public holiday!
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I hate running, but having to exercise is
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a necessary evil if I want to stay fit and healthy.
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Feifei: This is The English We Speak from
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BBC Learning English and we're finding
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out about the phrase 'a necessary evil'. It
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describes something that you have to
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accept in order to achieve something
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else. And Rob, that tax on your
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plane ticket is unavoidable – so not so
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cheap now, is it?
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Rob: No. Less money for eating, drinking
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and partying.
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Feifei: Can you get a refund? Stay at
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home and eat, drink and party?
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Rob: I could but if I stayed at home,
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there's another necessary evil I have to deal with.
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Feifei: What's that?
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Rob: I'll have to spend more time with you.
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Feifei: Hmm! What time is your flight exactly?
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Rob: Did I say something wrong?
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Feifei: Bye.
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Rob: Bye.