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  • Feifei: Hello and welcome to

  • The English We Speak with me, Feifei...

  • Rob: ...and me, Rob.

  • Feifei: So, Rob, I have

  • a very simple question for you.

  • Rob: Yep?

  • Feifei: Why have you got enormous

  • whiskers glued to the side

  • of your face, and why

  • are you wearing a running vest?

  • Rob: Well Feifei, it's a new year - and

  • according to our Chinese friends,

  • it's the 'Year of the Rat'.

  • New Year, new resolutions - so I've

  • decided to join the rat race!

  • Feifei: You've decided to join the rat race?

  • You mean to get really

  • competitive at work and

  • concentrate on promotions and pay rises

  • at the expense of your free time?

  • Rob: That's right.

  • Feifei: But why?

  • Rob: Money!

  • Feifei: Right, well let's hear some

  • examples of this expression before

  • a little more explanation.

  • I'm going to quit the rat race. I earn all

  • this money but I never have

  • enough time to

  • spend it! It's just work, work, work!

  • People complain about the rat race, but if

  • you earn enough, you can retire at 50!

  • Nieves decided to quit the rat race

  • after she had a serious health scare.

  • She realised

  • that the money wasn't worth the stress.

  • Feifei: You're listening to The English We

  • Speak from BBC Learning English.

  • In this programme,

  • we're looking at the expression 'rat race'.

  • It's used to describe a way of life in which

  • people work very hard for a lot of money.

  • Rob: But there's no free time and it's very,

  • very competitive.

  • You heard in the examples,

  • we often hear the word 'quit' used

  • with 'rat race'. Quit the rat race.

  • Feifei: But you, Rob, have decided to join

  • it. You do know that you don't have to look

  • like a rat to join the rat race? And you

  • certainly don't have to wear a racing vest.

  • Rob: Just trying to make things clear

  • for our audience, Feifei!

  • Feifei: I do quite like

  • those whiskers, though.

  • Rob: (Squeaks)

  • Feifei: Bye!

  • Rob: Bye bye!

Feifei: Hello and welcome to

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