He was offered the job twice — and said no both times. Then he finally joined as a staff lawyer, promised to stay for three years, and never left. Thirty years later, he's the CEO of one of the most respected cancer research centers in the United States. In this episode, we unpack that story and five B2 expressions that will serve you in job interviews, business conversations, and everyday life.
⚡ 5 Key Expressions
Expression 01
Turn down
To reject or decline something that has been offered to you — a job, an invitation, a proposal, or a request. The key is that something must be offered first; you can only turn down what someone has put on the table. The possessive shifts with the subject if you're turning down a person: he turned her down, she turned the offer down. Robert Stone was recruited for a position at City of Hope twice — and turned it down twice. That detail alone makes the story worth telling.
- "She turned down the promotion because it would have meant relocating her entire family."
- "He asked me to join his band, but I turned him down — I haven't touched a guitar in years."
Expression 02
Work one's way up
To advance gradually from a lower position to a higher one through sustained effort and time — not through connections, luck, or shortcuts. The possessive shifts with the subject: I worked my way up, she worked her way up, he worked his way up. It always implies a slow, deliberate climb over months or years. Stone joined City of Hope as a lawyer in the general counsel office and worked his way up through a handful of roles to become CEO in 2013. That's the kind of arc this phrase was built for.
- "She started on the factory floor and worked her way up to operations director over fifteen years."
- "He wasn't handed anything — he worked his way up from nothing."
Expression 03
In one's own right
Independently impressive, valid, or significant — not because of an association with something or someone else. When you say something is remarkable "in its own right," you're pushing back against the idea that it only matters because of what it's connected to. City of Hope is one of only 57 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the US — and it achieved that without being attached to a major university. That's what makes "in its own right" exactly the right phrase: it earns its reputation on its own terms.
- "The research division has become a market leader in its own right — separate from the parent company entirely."
- "My younger brother is genuinely funny in his own right. He doesn't need me around to make people laugh."
Expression 04
Be affiliated with
To be formally connected or associated with an organization, institution, or group. "Affiliated with" describes an official relationship — not just a casual connection. Universities are often affiliated with hospitals; research centers are affiliated with funding bodies; professionals are affiliated with industry associations. What makes City of Hope unusual is precisely what this phrase highlights: it is a top-tier cancer center that is not affiliated with any university, which is rare at that level of prestige.
- "The clinic is affiliated with four major university hospitals and shares research data across all of them."
- "Before the interview, they asked whether I was affiliated with any competing firms."
Expression 05
Out of the woods
Safe from danger or past a period of difficulty. The image is literal: if you're lost in a dark forest, you're in trouble — disoriented, vulnerable, unsure which way to go. Getting out of the woods means reaching open ground and safety. In practice, this phrase is used most often in its negative form — "not out of the woods yet" — to caution against premature relief. Health insurers had a strong first quarter in 2026, but experts warned they were not out of the woods yet. One good result doesn't end the story.
- "The patient's condition has improved significantly, but the doctors say she's not out of the woods yet."
- "We hit our sales target for the month, but with three product launches still ahead, we're not out of the woods."
🎭 The Dialogue: The Long Way Up
Maya is a hospital administrator and Alex is a healthcare journalist. They're catching up over lunch — and the conversation turns to a CEO whose career path was anything but straight.
📍 A lunch spot near the office. Maya has her phone out. Alex sits down with a tray.
Maya: Did you see the profile on Robert Stone? Thirty years at the same organization. You don't see that anymore.
Alex: I know. And he actually turned down the position twice before he finally agreed to join.
Maya: Twice! And when he joined, it was just as a lawyer — not even close to the top. He completely worked his way up.
Alex: That place is impressive in its own right too. A comprehensive cancer center that isn't affiliated with any university. That's rare.
Maya: Very rare. Most of the elite research centers are attached to big universities. City of Hope stands alone.
Alex: And after a rough few years in healthcare, the sector is finally seeing some gains — though I'd say they're not out of the woods yet.
Maya: Agreed. One good quarter doesn't mean the crisis is over.
Alex: Still, a CEO who built his career from the ground up over three decades? That's a story worth telling.
🧠 Episode Quiz
Can you answer this?
The National Cancer Institute designates the best cancer research facilities in the US as "comprehensive cancer centers." How many facilities across the entire country have earned that title?
✅ Answer: B — Fifty-seven. Out of thousands of hospitals and cancer treatment facilities in the United States, only 57 have received the NCI's comprehensive cancer center designation — awarded to institutions that meet the highest standards for both patient care and original research. City of Hope is one of them, and unlike most on the list, it has no university affiliation.
📚 Bonus Vocabulary
Designation (noun) — an official title, label, or status given by an authority to recognize a specific standard or quality. The NCI doesn't just rank hospitals — it grants a formal designation to the best ones. "The area received a UNESCO designation as a World Heritage Site."
Surpass (verb) — to go beyond a limit, expectation, or previous record. Health insurers surpassed Wall Street's expectations in Q1 2026. Stronger than "meet" — it implies exceeding, not just reaching. "Her second novel surpassed even the most optimistic sales projections."
Reaffirm (verb) — to confirm or state again, usually to signal that something has not changed despite pressure or uncertainty. Humana reaffirmed its adjusted profit forecast even as others updated theirs. It carries a note of deliberate steadiness. "The board reaffirmed its commitment to the original timeline despite the delays."
