Man hits 2 deer, then hits $2M in lottery

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. turn upside down / tɜrn ˈʌpˌsaɪd daʊn / (idiom) – to change completely, often in a shocking or negative way
    Example:

    My life turned upside down when I suddenly lost my job.


  2. ruin / ˈru ɪn / (v) – to damage or destroy something completely
    Example:

    Strong winds ruined the paper lanterns hanging in the garden.


  3. odds / ɒdz / (n) – the possibility or chance that something is going to happen 
    Example:

    The odds of surviving the disease are low.


  4. claim / kleɪm / (v) – to take something as the rightful owner
    Example:

    If no one claims the lost-and-found items within 60 days, we’re going to throw them away.


  5. pay off / peɪ ɔf / (phrasal) – to pay a debt or something that one owes in full
    Example:

    I took over ten years to pay off my student loans.


Article

Read the text below.

An unlucky start to a North Carolina man’s day turned upside down when he discovered he won a $2 million (¥208 million) lottery prize hours after hitting two deer with his new car.


Anthony Dowe, of Leland, had an accident on his way to work, the North Carolina Education Lottery said in a statement Jan. 26. It ruined his day, so he went back home, got into bed and went to sleep.


“Then I woke up and checked my tickets. I checked the fourth ticket and I saw the ‘4’ and then the next number and the next number and the next number,” he said. “I’m like, ‘Wow!’ It was just crazy.”


His winning Mega Millions ticket matched all five white balls. The odds? One out of 12.6 million.


Dowe took his ticket to a store and won $1 million. That prize doubled when the 2x Megaplier ticket was drawn.


On Jan. 25, he claimed his prize at the lottery headquarters in Raleigh and took home about $1.4 million (¥146 million) after taxes.


“It just feels great,” he said. “I’m just gonna fix things on my mother and father’s house and get my car fixed, pay it off, and pay my niece’s car off.” The rest, he said, will go into savings. (AP)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • If you won $2 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think it’s fair that the government takes a percentage of lottery winnings? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Do you think having an accident on your way to work is a reasonable excuse to take the day off? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you believe in good and bad luck? Why or why not? Discuss.