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1. 0:00
   Bella (tutor) Welcome to MicroEnglish. In this B2 lesson, a
2. 0:03
   Bella (tutor) café owner opens an invoice and spots an unexpected installation
3. 0:07
   Bella (tutor) fee. Would you pay it, challenge it, or ask for
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   Bella (tutor) more information? We’ll examine the paperwork and learn an
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   Bella (tutor) expression for judging whether a business arrangement is honest
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   Bella (tutor) and open.
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   Bella (tutor) Sam has bought a coffee machine for the café. The
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   Bella (tutor) installation charge looks suspicious because Sam remembers
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   Bella (tutor) delivery being included. Sam says, I’m not
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    Bella (tutor) sure this charge is above board. Above board means honest
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    Bella (tutor) and open, without deception. Here, Sam is
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    Bella (tutor) expressing uncertainty, not making a proven accusation.
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    Bella (tutor) The supplier produces an agreement separating free delivery
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    Bella (tutor) from paid installation. Sam’s colleague signed it after
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    Bella (tutor) discussing both costs. That explains the surprise. The
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    Bella (tutor) arrangement seems above board: the charge was disclosed
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    Bella (tutor) and agreed. Seems leaves room for further evidence;
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    Bella (tutor) it does not turn a reasonable judgment into a guarantee.
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    Bella (tutor) Above board often suggests that rules are followed,
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    Bella (tutor) so it overlaps with legal. But legal asks whether something
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    Bella (tutor) is permitted by law. Above board also concerns honesty.
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    Bella (tutor) A business might exploit a legal gap while misleading a customer.
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    Bella (tutor) Simply saying it’s legal would not resolve that customer’s
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    Bella (tutor) concern.
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    Bella (tutor) Use above board after be, or after an
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    Bella (tutor) object with keep. We kept the negotiations above
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    Bella (tutor) board means we made sure they were conducted honestly. Change
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    Bella (tutor) the verb to suit the time. Don’t insert the: above
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    Bella (tutor) the board can describe a physical position, but it is not this
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    Bella (tutor) idiom.
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    Bella (tutor) These situations share one meaning. You can describe
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    Bella (tutor) a payment, a selection process or an agreement as above
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    Bella (tutor) board. Choose it when honesty is relevant. It does not
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    Bella (tutor) mean cheap, efficient or successful. An expensive
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    Bella (tutor) agreement can be above board, and an honestly managed project
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    Bella (tutor) can still fail.
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    Bella (tutor) Compare a hidden commission with one explained before an agreement.
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    Bella (tutor) Commission is money paid for arranging a sale. Making
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    Bella (tutor) it known supports a claim of openness, although that fact alone
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    Bella (tutor) does not prove everything was proper. Ask what was shared,
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    Bella (tutor) with whom, and when.
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    Bella (tutor) The expression fits everyday business discussion and general
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    Bella (tutor) writing. It is not a technical legal term. Asking
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    Bella (tutor) whether an arrangement was above board may suggest possible
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    Bella (tutor) dishonesty. If you only need a missing detail, a
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    Bella (tutor) specific question about approval can sound less challenging.
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    Bella (tutor) Say the whole deal was above board. Stress the second
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    Bella (tutor) syllable of above, then give board a clear beat. The
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    Bella (tutor) whole deal refers to the complete arrangement. You can soften
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    Bella (tutor) your judgment with seems: the whole deal seems above board.
51. 2:58
    Bella (tutor) Listen to two British and two American conversations.
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    Bella (tutor) For each one, decide what the details suggest. Some
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    Bella (tutor) speakers have evidence; others still have questions. Choose
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    Bella (tutor) an answer, then check which spoken clue supports it.
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    Bella (tutor) Alice helped organise a conference. Listen for how
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    Bella (tutor) the venue was chosen.
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    George Didn't your sister own one of the venues?
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    George Yes. I told the team and stayed out
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    Alice of the vote.
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    Alice So you made the connection clear.
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    George Exactly. I wanted everything to be above board.
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    Bella (tutor) Alice disclosed the family link and did not vote. Those
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    Bella (tutor) actions support her view that the decision was handled openly.
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    George Didn't your sister own one of the venues?
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    George Yes. I told the team and stayed out
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    Alice of the vote.
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    Alice So you made the connection clear.
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    George Exactly. I wanted everything to be above board.
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    Bella (tutor) Roger and Jessica are reviewing a staffing agency’s bill.
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    Bella (tutor) What remains unresolved?
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    Roger The agency says it's allowed to charge a booking
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    Roger fee.
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    Roger Then why hide it? That doesn't sound above
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    Jessica board.
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    Jessica I'll ask where they explained it before we signed.
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    Bella (tutor) Jessica questions the hidden fee. Roger’s statement
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    Bella (tutor) about permission does not explain why the agency concealed
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    Bella (tutor) it.
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    Roger The agency says it's allowed to charge a booking
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    Roger fee.
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    Roger Then why hide it? That doesn't sound above
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    Jessica board.
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    Jessica I'll ask where they explained it before we signed.
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    Bella (tutor) Some office furniture has been sold. Listen for the information
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    Bella (tutor) George wants.
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    Alice The manager says selling those desks was above
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    Alice board.
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    Alice Perhaps. Who authorised the sale?
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    George I'll check the approval email.
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    Bella (tutor) George asks who authorised the sale. He needs
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    Bella (tutor) that evidence before agreeing that it was above board.
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    Alice The manager says selling those desks was above
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    Alice board.
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    Alice Perhaps. Who authorised the sale?
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    George I'll check the approval email.
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    Bella (tutor) A new ordering app has arrived late. How does Jessica
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    Bella (tutor) assess the developer?
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    Roger The app wasn't ready for our launch. Was
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    Roger the deal above board?
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     Roger Yes. The developer explained the costs
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     Jessica and warned us about the risks.
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     Jessica But the work was still late.
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     Roger True. Being open doesn't make someone reliable.
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     Bella (tutor) Jessica separates openness from performance. The
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     Bella (tutor) developer shared the costs and risks, but still missed the
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     Bella (tutor) launch date.
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     Roger The app wasn't ready for our launch. Was
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     Roger the deal above board?
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     Roger Yes. The developer explained the costs
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     Jessica and warned us about the risks.
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     Jessica But the work was still late.
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     Roger True. Being open doesn't make someone reliable.
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     Bella (tutor) Read this sentence aloud, then replace the reason with your
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     Bella (tutor) own evidence. Keep the expression together: above board.
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     Bella (tutor) Imagine explaining the sale to a colleague who has a reasonable
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     Bella (tutor) question.
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     Bella (tutor) Openness does not require publishing every private document.
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     Bella (tutor) The people involved should receive relevant information honestly.
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     Bella (tutor) A confidential agreement can still be above board; secrecy
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     Bella (tutor) that misleads someone is a different matter.
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     Bella (tutor) For a cautious judgment, seems above board is
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     Bella (tutor) useful. For a direct question, consider your tone and
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     Bella (tutor) relationship with the listener. Sometimes asking for the relevant
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     Bella (tutor) document will get you the information more easily.
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     Bella (tutor) Visit microenglish dot com slash idioms slash
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     Bella (tutor) above hyphen board for interactive dictation and
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     Bella (tutor) the AI tutor. Your first dictation is free. Further
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     Bella (tutor) practice and tutor access depend on membership and available
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     Bella (tutor) credits.
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     Bella (tutor) Leave a comment about an imaginary refund, sale or
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     Bella (tutor) hiring decision. Use above board and explain
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     Bella (tutor) what supports your judgment. You can also ask questions about
133. 7:27
     Bella (tutor) the expression or your sentence. Thanks for working through
134. 7:31
     Bella (tutor) the case with me.

Elige tu respuesta en cada pregunta y luego abre la respuesta para comprobarla.

1. Pregunta 1

   What does the tutor ask the learner to consider?

   A whether to pay, challenge, or ask for more information about a fee B how to open an invoice correctly C what an installation fee is
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor
2. Pregunta 2 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   Which sentence correctly uses keep with an object to describe maintaining honest practices?

   A Our team keeps above board every month without checking receipts. B Our team is kept above board because our finances remain completely. C Our team keeps our finances completely above board by auditing every expense.
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor
3. Pregunta 3 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   A community center introduces a ten-dollar registration fee that every single member must pay. Which phrase describes this policy?

   A The fee was eliminated above board by the staff. B The fee applies across the board to all members. C The fee remains above board for selected members only.
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor
4. Pregunta 4 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   Why does Elena point to the published rules when a neighbor asks about family members entering the draw?

   A She wants to prove that ticket prices will increase next season. B She provides concrete evidence that the draw is above board and free from favoritism. C She attempts to show that the contest was organized quickly without outside help.
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor
5. Pregunta 5 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   Which sentence contains an error in using the idiom?

   A We wanted to ensure the entire transaction was above the board. B We wanted to ensure the entire transaction was above board. C We wanted to ensure the entire transaction was aboveboard.
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor
6. Pregunta 6

   How does above board differ from the idiom by the book?

   A Above board describes personal character, while by the book describes business contracts only. B By the book means illegal, while above board means fully lawful. C Above board highlights honesty and transparency, while by the book emphasizes strict adherence to written rules.
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor
7. Pregunta 7

   What pronunciation pattern should you expect when listening to above board in natural speech?

   A Three equally stressed syllables with a clear pause after each word. B A weak initial unstressed vowel in above followed by a direct transition from /v/ to /b/. C An audible vowel inserted between the consonant /v/ and the consonant /b/.
   Comprobar respuesta Conversar con el tutor