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Georgiana: 悖论的定义:悖论是指一个看似违反逻辑的事实、表达或故事。在这个故事中,一个游客带着100美元来到酒店,然后这100美元在酒店经理、屠夫、面包师和医生之间流转,最终游客拿回了这100美元,而每个人之前的债务似乎都被清偿了。这看似违反逻辑,因为没有人实际工作或生产任何东西,也没有人损失任何钱。 悖论的解释:关键在于理解每个角色的债务和收入。酒店经理欠屠夫100美元,屠夫欠面包师100美元,面包师欠医生100美元,医生欠酒店经理100美元。游客的100美元只是作为一种媒介,促使了债务的循环抵消。每个人都既欠了100美元,也收到了100美元,所以最终的经济状况并没有改变。这100美元并没有创造任何新的价值,只是促进了债务的转移和抵消。 总结:这个故事并非真正的悖论,而是一个巧妙的循环债务抵消的例子。它看似违反逻辑,是因为我们忽略了债务关系的整体性。一旦我们考虑了所有参与者的债务和收入,就能理解这个看似矛盾的现象。这100美元只是作为一种工具,促使了债务的清偿,并没有实际改变任何人的经济状况。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

What is the paradox of the magic bill discussed in the podcast?

The paradox involves a tourist who leaves a $100 bill at a hotel front desk. The manager uses the bill to pay a debt to a butcher, who then pays a baker, who in turn pays a doctor, who finally returns the bill to the hotel manager. When the tourist retrieves his $100 bill, it appears that no one owes anything, no work was done, and no money was lost, creating a seemingly illogical situation.

Why does the tourist assume everyone is insane at the end of the story?

The tourist assumes everyone is insane because he observes the $100 bill circulating among the manager, butcher, baker, and doctor without any apparent loss or gain, leading him to believe the situation defies logical explanation.

How does the podcast explain the resolution of the paradox?

The paradox is resolved by understanding that each person involved owed $100 and was also owed $100. The circulation of the bill cancels out these debts, meaning no one’s financial situation is ultimately affected.

What technique does Georgiana use to teach English in the podcast?

Georgiana uses a storytelling technique with questions and pauses to encourage listeners to practice answering, simulating a real conversation and improving fluency.

What happens to the $100 bill after the tourist leaves it at the hotel?

The hotel manager uses the $100 bill to pay a debt to a butcher, who then pays a baker, who pays a doctor, who finally returns the bill to the hotel manager. The tourist later retrieves the same bill.

Chapters
This podcast episode introduces the concept of a paradox using the example of the magic bill, which went viral on social media. A paradox is defined as something that seems contrary to logic.
  • Paradox definition
  • Magic bill example

Shownotes Transcript

Translations:
中文

Do you like paradoxes? Today I will talk about the paradox of the magic bill, which has gone viral on social media. Welcome to Speak English Now podcast with your host Georgiana, the podcast that will help you to speak English fluently with no grammar and no textbooks.

Hi, I'm Georgiana. Thanks for joining me for a new Speak English Now podcast episode. If you want to help, please share the podcast on social media. That would mean a lot. Thanks. Before we start, visit my website, speakenglishpodcast.com, and subscribe to my mini-course. It's completely free. Okay, let's start.

A paradox is a fact, expression, or story that seems contrary to logic. I invite you to listen to this paradox and then assume the solution. Pay attention. A tourist arrives at a hotel. He is very picky about the rooms, so he asks the receptionist if he can see them first.

The receptionist agrees, but asks the tourist to leave $100 at the front desk. The tourist leaves a $100 bill and goes upstairs to look at the vacant rooms to see if he likes any of them.

The hotel manager then takes this bill and goes to the butcher shop to pay a 100 debt to the butcher. The butcher goes to the bakery to pay the 100 debt he owes the baker and does so with the same $100 bill.

The baker, in turn, takes the bill and pays his debt to his doctor with the same bill. Finally, the doctor returns to the hotel and pays a $100 debt he owes to the hotel manager. At that point, the tourist returns and tells the desk clerk that he does not want to stay at the hotel.

He takes his $100 bill and leaves. The apparent paradox is that before the tourist arrived, the manager, the butcher, the baker, and the doctor no longer owe anything. No one owes anything to anyone. No one has worked or produced anything. And no one has lost a single dollar.

I think that the key to understanding this supposed paradox is that each of the characters owed $100, but they were also owed $100. That is, everyone at some point would have to pay $100, but also, at some point, had to receive $100.

In reality, the bill has not affected anyone's economy. What has happened is that each person's debt has been cancelled. Now I think I need an aspirin. What do you think? Can you explain this story in your language? Or could you explain this paradox directly in English?

I know it's even more difficult, but there's nothing impossible. Now let's continue with a mini story. I'm gonna tell you a story, but with questions. I use this technique in my premium courses. It's very effective. I say a phrase with information. Next, I ask some questions. After each question, there is a pause.

It's your turn to answer. After each pause, I give a correct answer. That's how I build a story. And if you want the complete programs with hours of audio, designed to develop your fluency, visit my website, speakenglishpodcast.com slash courses. There are several levels. Okay, let's start.

The tourist leaves a $100 bill at the front desk and goes to the second floor to examine the rooms. Does the tourist leave a bill or a coin? A bill. The tourist leaves a bill at the front desk. Where does he leave it? At the front desk. He leaves it at the front desk.

Does he go up or down to the second floor? He goes up to the second floor from the front desk to examine the rooms. Why does he go upstairs? To examine the rooms. In the first room, the tourist sees through the window how the manager hands his $100 bill to a butcher.

In which room does he see something through the window? In the first room. In the first room, the tourist sees something. He sees how the manager hands his bill to the butcher. Does the tourist see how the manager hands over $500 to a butcher?

No, no, not $500. It was $100. Who does the manager hand the money to? To the butcher. The manager hands the money to a butcher. In the second room, the tourist watches the butcher hand his bill to the baker.

Does the tourist observe how the butcher hands money to a baker? Yes, he watches the butcher hand his bill to a baker. Whose bill? The tourist's bill. It is the same bill that the tourist left at the front desk. In the third room, the tourist, completely astonished,

sees his bill pass from the baker's hands to a doctor. Is the tourist astonished? Yes, the tourist is astonished. Does the bill pass from one hand to another? Yes, the bill passes from one hand to another. Does it pass from the doctor's hands to the baker's hands?

No, no. The bill passes from the baker's hands to the doctor's hands. In other words, the baker gives the bill to the doctor. The tourist returns to the hotel front desk and sees the doctor walking out the door. Does the tourist go down or up? He goes down.

He returns to the front desk. Does the tourist see someone? Yes, he sees the doctor. Does the tourist see the doctor walking through the door? No, no, he sees him walking out the door. The tourist leaves the hotel with his bill and assumes that everyone is insane.

Does the tourist leave the bill at the hotel? No, no. The tourist leaves the hotel with his bill. Does the tourist assume that everyone is sane? No, the tourist doesn't assume that. He leaves the hotel assuming everyone is insane. Being sane

is the opposite of insane. Okay, that's the end of this short exercise. If you find it difficult, that's normal. I recommend you repeat it several times. And if you want, on several different days.

As you can see, through questions and answers, you can practice and improve your speech, just like in a real conversation. It is one of the techniques that I use in my premium courses. I recommend you take a look at speakenglishpodcast.com slash courses. Okay, we have reached the end of this episode.

I'll see you soon. Bye-bye.