The link is long, but if you click on it I think you'll see that it's worth reading. This story has some AMAZING vocabulary and expressions and idioms. (Why is the link so long? :P)
http://www.undergroundhealth.com/mcdonalds-closing-all-restaurants-in-bolivia-as-nation-rejects-fast-food/?fb_action_ids=10200959489083884&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=above-post&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210200959489083884%22%3A193929790765104%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210200959489083884%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%7B%2210200959489083884%22%3A%22above-post%22%7D
Vocabulary to help you understand the article:
to reject fast food - to refuse to eat it, to not choose an option that is possible is to reject the option (choice)
the gateway to bliss: the way someone can find happiness. bliss means happiness. The author is making fun of McDonalds here - he/she is saying that the people of Bolivia do not view McDonalds as a way to be happy or to enjoy food. "Golden arches" refers to the giant M in front of most McDonalds. So, to the author, the giant M is like a gateway (a way into a yard or protected area).
the barrage of advertising - the huge amount of advertising. The country isn't falling for the barrage of advertising - the country isn't being influenced by McDonalds' advertising. Literally, a barrage is when many guns are shot at one time at an enemy army.
easily engulf countries - in this case to engulf a country means to make a country want your product. To engulf something is literally to swallow something.
mass production method - McDonalds' food is mass produced - large amounts are produced very quickly.
turns Bolivians off - if something turns you off, it makes you feel bad about something. i.e. Although she is a very attractive woman, I was turned off by her selfish attitude.
an indigenous population - they come from people who were there before Europeans arrived. Basically they are "Indians."
to step foot in - to enter
to coax people - to encourage people, to persuade people
they shooed me away - they chased me away
that stuck it out - that tried to succeed even though it was difficult; if you stick something out, you keep trying even though your situation is tough (difficult).
persistent - not stopping
flexing its deep pockets - if you have deep pockets, you have a lot of money. To flex your muscles is to show how strong you are. So to flex its deep pockets means to use its huge amount of money.
operating in the red - operating at a financial loss.
to have folded - if a business folds, it stops operating - it goes out of business.
a fast food agenda - a fast food plan or purpose.
impact - influence. I don't understand this sentence...it seems to me that McDonalds had ZERO impact in Bolivia.
stemmed from - came from
the mindset - the attitude
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See what art is like in New York City.
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Yes, I'm the guy who created the scandal in Asia awhile ago. :P
Links:
http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20100511000742
http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20100512000682
http://www.shoutcastblog.com/2010/05/11/wondergirls-were-mistreated-by-jyp-entertainment/
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Yes, I'm also the guy who wrote the very funny ESL book: New York City Sucks, But You'll Wanna Live Here Anyway.
http://www.amazon.com/Sucks-Youll-Wanna-Anyway-ebook/dp/B004TSPAQS
If this page is useful to you, please buy the book (it's quite inexpensive and useful!!!!). If you don't have an e-reader, drop me a line at djg51qu@gmail.com and I'll send you a free copy via Word file. Let me know whether you have Word 2010 or an earlier version.
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