来自世界不同地方的六位学生在美国相遇。他们都是交换学生，到美国大学就读一个学期，学习英语，了解美国文化，同时修专业课程。英语“日常会话” (Everyday Conversations)系列围绕这六位学生在美国的经历展开。这套材料适于中级或中级以上英语水平的学生使用。
在今天的对话中，一个学生（Akinyi）与她的朋友（Lee and Peter）谈如何创业。
Peter: So you really want to start your own business after you finish school?
Akinyi: Absolutely. I want to have my own startup.
Lee: I’m impressed. It seems like a difficult undertaking.
Akinyi: Of course it will be hard. But I’m not afraid of hard work or failure.
Peter: What do you need to do to create a startup?
Akinyi: First I’d like think of a new way to solve a problem. I want my business to help the world in some way. Then, if there is a product, I’d have to create a prototype.
Lee: That happens a lot in the field of environmental engineering. People create a prototype and then make lots of iterations. The prototype is never the final product.
Akinyi: Exactly. That takes time and a lot of patience. Another important aspect of a startup is funding. I’d have to find some way to fund my company, possibly through angel investors. Eventually, I’d have a launch.
Peter: You’ve thought about this a lot. And you seem like a natural entrepreneur, so I’m sure you’ll be successful.
让我们来学习一些词语（也可阅读英文解释）：
A startup 通常指致力于在探索中发展的初创公司
An undertaking：一个有难度或者有分量的使命或项目
A product：产品
Prototype: 某种产品或东西的原型、样本
Iteration：反复做某事或重复某一过程以求改进
Funding：用于某一具体目的——如创办企业——的资金；融资
An angel investor：天使投资人，指为初创企业提供资金的投资者
A launch：新产品的投放或新企业的启动/开业
An entrepreneur：实业家，即创办企业并有准备为成功而承担风险的人
有兴趣听更多英语对话吗？请浏览“英语学习”专题网页。
American English 网站提供可供英语学生和教师免费使用的多种英语资源。American English Facebook网页提供每天更新的英语学习资料。
“日常会话”由美国国务院教育与文化事务局英语语言项目处（Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs）资深项目官员海蒂·豪兰（Heidi Howland）编写。
