News
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Try more episodes of 6 Minute English:
Mmm, delicious. Hear a real-life chocolate maker talking about her job! Neil and Beth teach you some useful vocabulary.
What is Britain’s best-selling chocolate bar?
a) KitKat?b) Snickers? or,c) Mars?
Listen to the programme to hear the answer.
a dream (come true)something you want to happen very much but is not likely to (but that does in fact happen)
launchintroduce something new, such as a consumer product, to the public
consumer demandmeasure of consumers’ desire to buy a certain product based on its price and availability
hit the shelves(idiom) become available for purchase
go for (something)choose (something)
a flopcompletely unsuccessful; a failure
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
NeilHello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.
BethAnd I’m Beth.
NeilIn Britain, millions of kids grow up reading the books of Roald Dahl. Before his death in 1990, Roald Dahl wrote over thirty children’s books, including bestsellers like Matilda and The BFG. But one book in particular is many people’s favourite - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
BethAh yes, I the story of Charlie Bucket – the poor kid whose luck turns around when he wins a Golden Ticket to the local chocolate factory. The factory is run by the mysterious Willy Wonka who invents all kinds of sweets and chocolates for the children to try – everything from strawberry-coated fudge to marshmallow pillows. Neil, I really wanted to visit that chocolate factory.
NeilIf that story sounds familiar then maybe, as a kid, you also dreamed of tasting chocolate for a living. But in this programme we’ll be meeting a real life Willy Wonka, someone whose job involves exactly that – inventing and tasting chocolate bars! And, as usual, we’ll be learning some useful new vocabulary too.
BethHelle Anttila has the kind of job most people can only dream of. Helle is head of research and development at Fazer, a confectionary company in Finland which has been making and selling chocolate for over 130 years. Helle is responsible for buying the cocoa beans used to make chocolate, and coming up with ideas for new chocolate products to sell. So, my question for you, Neil, is this: what is Britain’s best-selling chocolate bar? Is it:
NeilHmm, well, I’m going to guess that it’s KitKat.
BethOK, Neil, I’ll reveal the correct answer at the end of the programme. With over 6,000 employees, Fazer is Finland’s largest chocolate maker. Just like Willy Wonka, Helle and her team think up new and exciting chocolate products. Here Helle explains more to Ruth Alexander for BBC World Service programme, The Food Chain:
Ruth AlexanderPart of your job is to travel around the world and eat chocolate?
Helle AnttilaThat would be a dream! But of course you get the different information from different sources around the world. So I think there is a brilliant amount of ideas… then it is just that OK, when is the right time to actually develop and launch certain type of products, when there is a consumer demand?
Ruth AlexanderHow does it feel when you've developed a new product, a new taste, and it's on the shelves and people are going for it?
Helle AnttilaIt feels great! You really feel proud of my team who is creating the products and creating the taste experience. It’s really a great feeling.
Ruth AlexanderCan you tell us about any flops where you just feel like we, chocolate eaters, just weren't ready for it?
Helle AnttilaI think those flops are as important as the products which are gaining great sales, because you always learn.
NeilHelle describes her chocolate-maker job as a dream, something that you want to happen very much, but is not very likely to. But in Helle’s case, her dream came true.
BethAfter they invent a new chocolate bar, Helle’s team carefully choose the best time to launch it – to introduce the new product to the public. Usually this only happens when there is enough consumer demand – a measurement of how much customers want to buy something based on factors like its price and availability.
NeilIf consumer demand is strong, Fazer starts to and promote their new chocolate bar before it hits the shelves – an idiom meaning that it becomes available for people to buy in the shops. Then it’s just a question of waiting to see if people go for, or choose, the new product.
BethSome of Helle’s biggest successes have been her Blueberry Truffle and the heart-shaped Geisha bar she invented. But sometimes the new chocolate bar she thinks up is a flop, completely unsuccessful or a failure.
NeilFlop or not, Helle thinks she has one of the best jobs in the world, even if she doesn’t get to eat as much of her chocolate inventions as Willy Wonka. Anyway, speaking of best-selling chocolate, isn’t it time to reveal the answer to your question, Beth?
BethRight. I asked you about Britain’s best-selling chocolate bar, and you guessed it’s KitKat, which was… the wrong answer I’m afraid, Neil. In fact, the UK’s most popular chocolate is the Mars bar, meaning that over 3 million bars get made every day! OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this programme starting with a dream, something you really want to happen but is not likely to, and the related idiom, a dream come true, when what you really want to happen actually does.
NeilWhen a company launches a new consumer product, they introduce it to the public for the first time.
BethConsumer demand is a measurement of consumers’ desire to buy a product based on factors like its price and availability.
NeilWhen a product hits the shelves, it becomes available for purchase in the shops.
BethIf you go for something, you choose it. For example, in a restaurant you might say, ‘I think I’ll go for the fish’.
NeilAnd finally, if something is a flop, it’s completely unsuccessful – a failure. Once again our six minutes are up, but to us again next time for more trending topics and useful vocabulary, here at 6 Minute English. Goodbye for now!
BethBye!
Have you ever been embarrassed to go to the doctor?
Have you ever phoned up a company and had your call held in a queue? Could AI make this less painful?
Is making new ‘mum friends’ the positive experience it’s often described as?
Are DNA ancestry tests a reliable way to trace your ancestry?
What do babies need to learn to do to be able to talk?
How can we stay healthy in old age?
Are the stereotypes about older and younger sisters true?
What is acne and how can it affect someone's confidence?
Why is it so important to get a good night's sleep?
How is divorce talked about in different countries?
Technology is always changing! Or is it...?
Did Taylor Swift move the Earth?
What makes us like the flavours we like?
Would you find it different to adapt to a new food culture?
How do farmers in the driest place on Earth manage to grow crops? With this solution!
Should we stop under 14s having phones?
Why do we need to reduce our salt intake?
Would you like to be a chocolate maker, like Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka?
Warning! This episode might make you very hungry...
What are young people's thoughts on climate change?
Do you your childhood birthday cakes?
What's really happening in our brain when we fall in love?
Could AI reduce the need for animal testing?
Why is it better to read from a book than a screen?
What happens when you put the kids in charge of the school?
Learn to speak to yourself in the way that toddlers do!
How can literacy change people's lives?
How can buildings made from wood help our mental health?
Could our name have painful baggage?
Could E-rickshaws give us cleaner air?
Is it OK to be older parents?
How was bubble tea invented?
Is it always negative to keep a secret?
Could bitter foods be better for your health?
What do you talk about while having dinner?
Is it OK to eat unhealthy food during pregnancy?
Do you love to dance?
Are nudges good or bad?
Could sitting be damaging to our health?
Could it be best to be the underdog?
Learn about the people who are making it easier for disabled musicians and music fans to perform and see live music
What makes a library a library?
Period poverty affects over 500 million people worldwide. How can a volunteer project help?
Plastics can be difficult to recycle. Could a recently discovered enzyme help?
Food is fuel for our brains. So, what should we be eating?
Having a baby is exhausting! What do mothers need to eat after giving birth?
Hear how a project in the Netherlands is helping in the fight against loneliness
Is AI going to take away your job?
Why is the language used on menus important?
Is it ever OK to be greedy?
Are we addicted to sugar?
Are you a dog or a cat person?
For a better experience please enable Javascript in your browser
