Conversation:

Diane:    Hold still, Ellen.  Now smile and say cheese.

Ellen:    Don’t take my picture!  Let me brush my hair and put on something nice first.

Diane:    Okay.  By the way, have you heard from your brother?

Ellen:    Yes.  He called me last night and said he was coming back to Canada for good.  He’s tired of traveling.

Diane:    Well, it’s about time he grew up and got a job.  He’s been away for what – four years?

Ellen:    About that long.  He told me he came down with a bad case of homesickness when he saw a  Canadian flag on someone’s backpack.

Diane:    When does he get back?

Ellen:    The day after tomorrow at 4:00.  Do you want to come to the airport with me to pick him up?

Diane:    Sure.  But we should play it safe and get there well ahead of time.

Ellen:      I’ve got a better idea.  Let’s go in the morning and hang out. We can have lunch in the cafeteria and have a look around the new airport.  We can keep an eye on the arrivals on the monitors, so we’ll know when his plane lands.

Vocabulary:

• say cheese:  when you say the word cheese, it puts a smile on your face.
• by the way:  not on the topic
• it’s about time:  it has been long enough
• homesickness:  a feeling of wanting to go back home
• backpack:  a bag carried on the back
• monitors:  TV sets

Idioms:

hold still                     don’t move
put on                          start to wear
hear from                  get a letter, phone call, e-mail, or text message from
for good                     forever
grow up                      stop acting childish / become an adult
come down with     become sick with
get back                      arrive back home
play it safe                 be cautious, be careful
hang out                     stay in one place doing nothing
keep an eye on        watch and (sometimes) protect

Notes:

Put on has an opposite, take off, meaning “remove (clothing).”
Example:  Many people take off their shoes when they enter someone’s home.

Grow up has two meanings.  The second meaning is “become an adult.”
Example:  Where did you grow up?

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Joan:    Jane?  Is that you?

Jane:    Joan!  Good to see you again.

Joan:    When you’re turned around, I can’t tell you apart from your sister.

Jane:    A lot of people say that.  By the way, did you hear what they’re going to give away at Budget Clothes to some lucky customer?

Joan:    I give up.  Tell me.

Jane:    A trip for two to Hawaii.  We should go down there and fill out some entry forms for the draw.  I think the limit is 10 entries each, so we’ll have 20 chances to win.  Maybe we’ll get lucky.

Joan:      That’s a great idea.  Then we can try on some new clothes while we’re there.  I feel like shopping.  How did you find out about the free trip?

Jane:    They were handing out flyers yesterday at the supermarket.

Joan:    There’s one thing I can’t figure out.  How can they afford to give away such an expensive trip?  It must cost a pretty penny.

Vocabulary:

• by the way:  changing the topic, talking about something else
• entry form:  paper you fill out so you can win if they pick it
• draw:  the choosing of the winner
• limit:  maximum, the most
• entries:  entry forms
• flyers:  advertisements on paper
• afford:  have enough money

Idioms:

turn around       face in the opposite direction
tell apart              see the difference
give away             give (to anyone)
give up                  not know the answer / stop (an activity) / let an opponent win
fill out                    complete (a form)
try on                     wear clothing, jewelry, or perfume before buying
feel like                 want to
hand out               give (to students or others)
figure out             find a solution, understand
a pretty penny    a lot of money

Notes:

Give up has three meanings.  The second meaning is “stop an activity.”
Example:  I gave up ballet lessons when I was ten.
The third meaning is “let an opponent win.”
Example:  I give up.  You win.  You play so much better than I do.

Fill out and fill in have similar meanings, but fill out is generally used for a whole form while fill in is used for one piece of information.
Example:  Don’t forget to fill in your social insurance number.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Chuck:    Oh no!  Not another parking ticket!  I want to tear it up and throw it away.

Paul:    I know how you feel.  I keep getting speeding tickets over and over again.  I’ve gotten so many tickets, I could tell you what they say by heart.

Chuck:    You should watch out for radar vans and slow down when you pass one.  I do, and so far, so good – I haven’t gotten any speeding tickets in a long time.

Paul:    Just a minute.  I’m mixed up.  I thought the government wasn’t using radar vans any longer.

Chuck:    They aren’t, but some municipalities still are, so you have to be careful and pay attention.  And don’t forget about road blocks.  Have you ever run into one on a Friday or Saturday night?

Paul:    Sure.  Hasn’t everybody?  If I were king, I’d wipe out all those too.

Vocabulary:

•  ticket:  a penalty you must pay if you do something wrong
•  speeding:  going faster than the speed limit
•  just a minute:  wait, stop
•  radar vans:  large cars that have radar that takes a photo of a car that is speeding
•  municipalities:  cities or towns
•  road blocks:  when police stop all the cars on a street

Idioms:

tear up                              rip into small pieces
throw away (or out)    put in the garbage
over and over                again and again
by heart                           every word memorized
watch out (for)              be careful (of)
so far, so good              up till now, things are okay
mixed up                         confused / out of sequence
pay attention (to)        look or listen carefully
run into                           meet unexpectedly / hit with a vehicle
wipe out                          destroy completely

Notes:

Throw away and throw out have the same meaning.  They are also the same as get rid of.

Watch out (for) and look out (for) have the same meaning.

Mixed up has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “out of sequence,”  the same as out of order.
Example:  I can’t find my coffee card in the file box.  They’re mixed up.

Run into and bump into have the same meaning, but bump into is only used for people.
Example:  Guess who I bumped into at the grocery store yesterday?

Run into has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “hit with a vehicle.”
Example:  Michael went through a stop sign and ran into a truck on his way home from work.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Barb:    It’s too hot in here.  How do you turn on the air conditioning?

Bob:    It’s easy as pie.  Just push the button marked ‘start.’  Then turn the dial up to maximum.

Barb:    Okay.  But when we checked in, the desk clerk said it takes about half an hour to cool the room down.  I think I need something cold to drink now.

Bob:    Speak up.  I can’t hear you over that noisy air conditioner.

Barb:    I’m going to the vending machine in the lobby to get some pop.  Would you like anything?

Bob:    No thanks.  I’ll stick with ice water.  You could bring up some more ice, if you don’t mind.  I don’t want to run out.

Barb:    [Later]  I couldn’t get any pop.  The vending machine broke down, and they shut down the ice machine for servicing.  Let’s just check out of here and find a better motel.

Click on the audio recording  below to hear the lesson.

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the vocabulary on the audio file below.

Vocabulary:

• maximum:   the highest setting
• desk clerk:   the person you talk to when you register.
• vending:   selling
• lobby:   the big room inside the front door of a motel or hotel
• if you don’t mind:  if it isn’t a problem for you
• servicing:  fixing and cleaning a machine

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the idioms on the audio file below.

Idioms:

turn on                start the operation (of a machine, lights, etc.)
easy as pie         very easy to do
turn up                increase (sound, light, or heat) / arrive
check in (to)     register (at a motel or hotel)
speak up             speak more loudly / say something (at a meeting/in class)
stick with           continue using (something) / stay with (someone)
run out (of)       not have any more
break down       stop working (machine)
shut down          stop (a service or business) for a short time or permanently.
check out (of)   leave (a motel or hotel) / borrow (something) from a library

Notes:

Easy as pie and a piece of cake mean the same thing.

Turn up has 2 meanings.  The other one is “arrive.”
Example:  How many people turned up at the meeting last night?
It has the same meaning as show up. (Unit 03)

Speak up has 2 meanings.  The other one is “say something (at a meeting/in class).”
Example:  There are a few students who speak up in class, but most of them don’t usually say anything.

Stick with has 2 meanings.  The other one is “stay with (someone).”
Example:  When we go into the mall, stick with me.  I don’t want you to get lost.

Run out and be out are closely related.  Run out is an action, and be out is a condition (no action).
Example:  I ran out of milk, and if there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s to be out of milk.

Break down and out of order (Unit 01) are closely related.  Break down is an action, and out of order is a condition (no action).

Check out, meaning “leave (a motel or hotel),” is not followed by of if there is no object after it.
Example:  What time do we have to check out?

Check out has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “borrow (something) from a library.”
Example:  You can’t check out reference material from the library.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Morna:    Hi, Peggy.  Why do you have on gym clothes?

Peggy:      I just came from my aerobics class at the Community Centre.  Why don’t you come with me tomorrow morning and sign up?

Morna:     I don’t know.  I have to catch up on my reading for Art History.

Peggy:      That sounds like an excuse to me.   Come on.  It’ll be fun.  We can warm up by jogging there.

Morna:     I’ll think it over tonight and call you in the morning.  First, I need to talk it over with my husband since he’ll have to drop the kids off at school if I start doing this with you.

Peggy:      Take it easy.  I’m sure he’ll support you.

Morna:     Also, I don’t want it to wear me out before I go to work.

Peggy:       Don’t worry.  I find it actually gives me more energy.  Why don’t you just try it out once and see how you feel?

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the vocabulary on the audio file below.

Vocabulary:

•  aerobics:  a type of exercising where you breathe hard
•  excuse:  a reason that’s not very good
•  jogging:  slow running

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the idioms on the audio file below.

Idioms:

have on                                  be wearing
sign up (for)                       register (for a course or activity)
catch up (on/with/to)   go as fast as or do as much work as everyone else
warm up                               prepare for before doing / heat
think over                            consider
talk over                               discuss with someone
drop off                                drive (someone somewhere) / deliver (something)
take it easy                          don’t get upset, relax
wear out                               make (someone) very tired / make (something) old because of use
try out                                    test (something) before buying

Notes:

Catch up is followed by on in front of a thing.
Example:  I have to catch up on my reading.
It is followed by with or to in front of people.
Example:  Let’s run faster and catch up to (or with) John.
If nothing follows, then don’t use a preposition.
Example:  I missed a lot of work when I was absent, so now I have to catch up.

Warm up has 2 meanings.  The other one is “heat.”
Example:  For dinner, I think I’ll warm up yesterday’s pizza.

Drop off has 2 meanings.  The other one is “deliver (something).”
Example:  I need to drop off my drycleaning on the way to work.

Take it easy and calm down have the same meaning.

Wear out has 2 meanings.  The other one is “make (something) old because of use.”
Example:  She wore out her jeans by wearing them every day last year.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Alice:    You look awfully tired today.  What happened?  Did you stay out late last night?

Judy:    No, but I stayed up till one-thirty finishing my English homework because I misplaced my textbook and looked for it for almost an hour before I found it.  You look a little tired yourself.

Alice:    I am.  I didn’t turn in till nearly two o’clock.  I was out until ten.  Then when I got home,  an old friend dropped in on me, and we talked for a long time.  She was pretty upset, but I think I helped her calm down.  You see, she was engaged, but called it off  when she found out her boyfriend was already married.

Judy:    What a jerk!  Is she alright?

Alice:    Yes.  The guy showed up the next day with a bouquet of flowers, but she told him it was over and he left.

Judy:    What a story!  I guess sooner or later you hear everything.

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the vocabulary on the audio file below.

Vocabulary:

•  awfully:  very
•  misplaced:   put in the wrong place and lost
•  engaged:  promised in marriage
•  jerk:   a bad man
•  bouquet:   a lot together
•  over:  finished, ended
Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the idioms on the audio file below.

Idioms:

stay out                                 not come home
stay up                                  not go to bed
look for                                 try to find
turn in                                   go to bed / give to the teacher or boss
be out                                    be gone from home or work / not have any more
drop in on (someone)          visit by surprise
calm down                            relax
call off                                   cancel (an event)
show up                                arrive
sooner or later                    at some time in the future

Notes:

Turn in has 2 meanings.  The other one is “give to the teacher or boss.”
Example:  Did you remember to turn in your keys before you left your last job?

Be out has 2 meanings.  The other one is “not have any more.”
Example:  Oh no!  We are out of ice, and the party just started.

Drop in on (someone) and drop by are similar, but drop in on is followed by a person.
Example:  Let’s go drop in on my brother tonight.

Drop by is either followed by a place or by no object.
Example:  My door is always open.  Why don’t you drop by (my office) sometime.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Peter:         Hey George.  Let’s take a break.  I’m starting to get tired.

George:     Me too.  It’s not an easy job fixing up this old car.

Peter:         It sure isn’t.  My advice is to get rid of it and buy a nice used one.

George:     But I love this car.  It was my first.  Let’s keep on working till dinnertime.  Then we can eat out somewhere and finish the job afterwards.

Peter:         Okay.  What about that new Mexican restaurant on West Broadway?  I hear the food is really good.

George:      I don’t care for Mexican food.  It gives me heartburn.

Peter:          Then let’s go pick up some Chinese food and eat it here.

George:       In the meantime, could you give me a hand with this jack?

Peter:           Sure.  Let me turn off the engine first.

George:       I’ll be glad when this is done.  I’m sure looking forward to having a car that works.

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the vocabulary on the audio file below.

Vocabulary:

•  heartburn:  a burning feeling in the chest
•  in the meantime:  while waiting to do something else
•  jack:  a tool that lifts part of a car so you can change a tire

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the idioms on the audio file below.

Idioms:

• take a break (from)         stop working for a short time
• fix up                                       repair, make better
• get rid of                                not keep
• keep on                                   continue without stopping
• eat out                                     eat at a restaurant
• don’t care for                      don’t like
• pick up                                   go and get (someone or something) / lift
• give (someone) a hand  help / clap hands to show approval
• turn off                                   stop the operation (of a machine, lights, water, etc.)
• look forward to                  await with excitement

Notes:

Take a break is followed by from if there is an object.
Example:  Let’s take a break from studying and go get some coffee.

Keep on and go on are similar, but keep on means continue without stopping and
must be followed by an -ing verb.  Go on means continue after stopping and can be used alone without anything following.

Eat out is at a restaurant, but eat in is at home.
Example:  I’m a little tired tonight so let’s eat in.

Pick up has two meanings.  The other meaning is “to lift.”
Example:  Please pick up the garbage you dropped on the floor.

Give (someone) a hand has two meanings.  The other meaning is “clap hands to show approval.”  Example:  Let’s all give him a hand for a job well done.

Turn off and shut off have the same meaning.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Joey:            Who are you?

Sally:            My name is Sally.  My mom is inside visiting your mom.  She said you’re going to be in the same class as me this year.  Is it true we can get on the bus for school just across the street?

Joey:            Yes.  And we can get off at 49th Street right in front of the school.

Sally:            That’s great.  Do you know anything about our teacher?

Joey:            Ms. Foster?  Yes.  First of all, she’s mean, and she gives a lot of homework.

Sally:            Really?  Go on.

Joey:            When she calls on you, you have to stand up, and if your homework isn’t perfect, she makes you do it over.

Sally:            Wow!  She sounds tough.

Joey:            She is.  Sometimes she even makes a student wait on her by getting her coffee from the vending machine down the hall.  One time, a student couldn’t get her coffee because the machine was out of order.  As punishment, he had to hold on to the doorknob for an hour before she said he could let go.  It took him a month to get over it.

Sally:            Are you leaving anything out?  Like maybe that she wears black and flies on a broom?

Click on the audio recording  below to hear the lesson.

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen to and repeat the vocabulary on the audio file below.

Vocabulary: 

•  mean:     treating other people badly
•  tough:     making students follow the rules exactly
•  vending machine:     a machine that sells things
•  doorknob:     a round door handle
•  wears black and flies on a broom:     she’s a witch, or a very bad person.

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the idioms on the audio file below.

Idioms:

•  get on                      enter (a bus, plane, train, boat)
•  get off                      leave (a bus, plane, train, boat)
•  go on (with)         continue after stopping
•  call on                     choose (a student) to answer a question
•  do over                   do again, repeat
•  wait on                    serve food or do things for (someone)
•  out of order          not working right / not in sequence
•  let go (of)                stop holding
•  get over                    get well (after a sickness or sadness)
•  leave out                  not include

Notes:

Go on is used alone if no object follows it.  Go on with is used if an object follows it.
Example:  Go on with your work.  Don’t let me stop you.  [your work = object]

Out of order has two meanings.  The other meaning is “not in sequence.”
Example:  The dates on this list are out of order.  November should not be before September.

Let go is used alone if no object follows it.  Let go of is used if an object follows it.
Example:  You can let go of my hand now.  [my hand = object]

© 2004 Ambien Malecot