Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.
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Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English
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We Speak. I'm Feifei...
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Rob: ...you are, and I'm Rob.
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Feifei: Rob, a question - is it right you
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have a friend who lives on top of a
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mountain?
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Rob: Errr no.
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Feifei: What about a friend who lives in La
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Paz - one of the highest cities in the
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world?
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Rob: Strange question, but no.
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Feifei: OK, how about a friend who lives at
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the top of a very tall tower block?
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Rob: Definitely not. Why are you asking
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about my friends anyway?
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Feifei: Well, someone in the office said
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you have friends in high places - and I just
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wondered why it was useful to know
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people who lived high up.
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Rob: OK, well if you have friends in high
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places it has nothing to do with their
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physical location - they are people you
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know who are powerful and in an
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important position and
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are able to help you.
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Feifei: So these are useful people to know
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then?
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Rob: They certainly are. Let's hear some
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examples of other friends in high places...
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Examples: Wang managed to get a
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promotion but I'm sure it's only because
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he knows people in high places.
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Thanks to his friends in high places, my
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boyfriend managed to get tickets for the
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sold-out rock concert. Yeah!
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Despite failing her exams, Jane still
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managed to get a place at university - I'm
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sure she has friends in high places.
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Feifei: This is The English We Speak from
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BBC Learning English and we're talking
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about the phrase 'friends in high places'.
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These are powerful and important people
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we know and might be able to help us
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in some way. So Rob, you know some
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very important people then?
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Rob: Well, yes a few - although not the
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Queen. Why do you want to know?
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Feifei: Well, I have to renew my passport
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and I need someone important to witness
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my application.
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Rob: Oh come on Feifei, you know I could
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do that.
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Feifei: Err sorry Rob. You may be a friend
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but you're not in a high enough position to
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do this! Look, it needs a doctor, lawyer or
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policeman to sign it.
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Rob: Great! So how high am I?
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Feifei: About this high.
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Rob: That low. Oh dear. Time to make
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some new friends. Bye bye.
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Feifei: Bye.
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