Conversation:

Barbara:  Hi Suzanne.  I don’t mean to break in on your phone call, but I’ve got to ask you a question.

Suzanne:  That’s okay.  I was about to hang up anyway.  (To the phone)  Judy, I’ll call you back later.  Bye.  (To Barbara)  Now how can I help you?

Barbara:  You know about fashion.  Do you think this green blouse goes with these khaki shorts?

Suzanne:  I’d say yes.  This season that combination of colors has taken off.  Ow, my toothache is coming back.  I guess the pain killer I took this morning is starting to wear off.  I promised to take sandwiches to the picnic this afternoon, but I think I’d better see the dentist instead.

Barbara:  The school picnic?  Oh no, I forgot about it.  What time does it get under way?

Suzanne:  It’s supposed to start at noon.  I hope this rain lets up, and it turns into a nice day.

Barbara:  Me too.  I forgot all about the party, but I can’t go anyway.  I have no shoes to wear with this outfit.

Suzanne:  Why don’t you run down to the campus clothing store and buy some?

Barbara:  I wish I could, but I’ve got no money.  My parents cut off my allowance last week because my father got laid off from his IT job.

Suzanne: That’s awful.  By the way, what’s IT stand for?

Barbara:  It stands for the Information technology.

Suzanne:  Ow, not again!  I’ve got to do something about this tooth.

Barbara:  Why don’t you go see the dentist now.  I’ll take over and make the sandwiches for you.

Vocabulary: 

khaki:  a light shade of yellow-brown similar to tan or beige
combination:  two things together
ow:  a word you say when you’re in pain
pain killer:  medicine to stop pain
had better:  should
instead:  in place of something else
supposed to:  scheduled to
outfit:  top and bottom clothing together
allowance:  weekly or monthly spending money given by parents
awful:  terrible

Idioms:

• break in on                             interrupt a conversation
• about to                                    almost ready to (do something)
• go with                                      look good together (clothes)
• take off                                      become popular / remove clothing / leave the ground
• wear off                                    disappear gradually
• get under way                        begin
• let up                                          become less severe (wind, storm, noise)
• turn into                                  change into
• cut off                                        discontinue (a service)
• lay (someone) off                stop (someone’s) employment because of lack of work.
• stand for                                  represent
• take over                                  take control

Notes:

Take off has 3 meanings:  Another meaning is “remove clothing.”  Example:  Take off your sweater if you’re too hot.  The other meaning is “leave the ground.”  Example:  My plane didn’t take off for three hours because of fog.

Let up and die down have the same meaning.

Take over  is similar to fill in for, but take over is used for a short task, while fill in for is used for longer work like a job.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Alice:  Hi, Stacey.  This is a surprise!  What brings you here?

Stacey:  I haven’t seen your new apartment yet, but you haven’t returned my calls, so I thought I’d drop by.

Alice:  I’m sorry for the mess.  If I had known you were coming, I would have straightened up a little.  Since Alicia was born, I’ve been snowed under with work.  I never realized it would be so hard to take care of a baby.  It takes a lot out of me.  Listen, I’m sorry about not calling you.

Stacey:  That’s okay.  No harm done.  I’m here now.

Alice:  Let me show you around, but be quiet.  The baby’s asleep.

Stacey:  Sure.  Wow!  I love the way you set up the baby’s room.  I see you keep plenty of diapers on hand.  She must go through them quickly.

Alice:  She does.  But on the other hand she’s now sleeping through the night.  She takes after her father in that way.  He’s always been a sound sleeper.

Stacey:  By the way, did I tell you that Joe and I are getting married?  We’d both like you to take part in the ceremony as one of my bridesmaids.

Vocabulary:

diapers:  cloth or paper worn around the baby’s bottom.
sound sleeper:  someone who sleeps the whole night without waking up.
bridesmaid:  a member of the bridal party who stands near the bride during the marriage ceremony.

Idioms:

• straighten up:                                organize, make orderly
• snowed under:                               busy with too much work
• take a lot out of (someone)     drain energy from (someone)
• no harm done:                               no damage done
• show around:                                give a tour
• set up:                                                arrange / establish
• on hand:                                           available
• go through:                                     use completely / experience (something bad
• on the other hand:                     talking about the opposite
• take after :                                      resemble or have the same talent as (a relative)
• by the way:                                     speaking of something else
• take part (in):                              participate

Notes:

Set up has 2 meanings.  The other one is “establish.”  Example:  My brother and I have decided to set up an export business together.

Go through has 2 meanings.  The other one is “experience (something bad)”  Example:  I spent four hours at customs.  I don’t want to go through that again.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Converstion:

Mrs. Bell:  Sally, I hate to break the news to you, but if your grades don’t improve, you’re not going to pass this course.

Sally:  There’s no doubt about it.  I know I’m falling behind, but there are so many things I don’t understand in this course that I need to clear up.

Mrs. Bell:  Well, I know you’re having trouble keeping up with the rest of the class.  Even though I have my hands full right now, I’m happy to tutor you and help you catch up.  Let’s see.  I’m all booked up from Monday to Thursday, but I can see you on Fridays at 3:30.

Sally:  That’s good for me.  Thank you so much, Mrs. Bell.  Sometimes I feel like this work is over my head, and I’m never going to catch on.

Mrs. Bell:  Don’t worry, Sally.  Just remember that above all, you must stay positive.  Slowly but surely your marks will improve.  Who knows?  You may turn out to be my best student.

Sally:  Thanks, Mrs. Bell.  If I work really hard, maybe I can even pass with flying colors.

Vocabulary:

• improve:  get better
• positive:  believing you can do it
• tutor you:  teach you alone

Idioms:

• break the news                                 give bad news
• no doubt about it                             it’s a fact, it’s the truth
• fall behind                                           not go as fast as required
• clear up                                                 explain, solve / become sunny
• keep up (with)                                   go as fast as
• have one’s hands full                     be too busy
• booked up                                            have no time left / have no room left (hotel/restaurant)
• over one’s head                                too difficult to understand
• above all                                               most importantly
• slowly but surely                             gradually
• turn out                                                result in the end / produce / come (to an activity)
• pass with flying colors                 get top marks on a test or in a course

Notes:

Fall behind is similar to be behind, but fall behind is an action, and be behind is a condition after the action has happened.  It means “have work that needs to be done.”
Example:  I fell behind in math when I was sick, and now I am so far behind, I can’t catch up.

Clear up has 2 meanings.  The other meaning is “become sunny.”
Example:  I hope the weather clears up so we can go on a picnic.

Booked up has 2 meanings.  The other meaning is “have no room left (hotel/restaurant).”
Example:  The hotels are all booked up over the winter holidays.

Turn out has 3 meanings.  Another is “produce.”
Example:  This factory turns out 300 pairs of boots a day.

The last meaning is “come (to an activity).”
Example:  How many people turned out for the meeting?

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Andrei: Sven, I’ve always looked up to you. Would you give me some advice?

Sven: Sure. How can I help?

Andrei: I’m trying to get up the nerve to ask Victoria out.

Sven: Really? The girl in your math class who looks like a movie star?

Andrei: That’s right. I want to ask her to the dance this Friday, but my shyness gets in the way.

Sven: I know what you mean. It takes a lot of nerve to ask a beautiful girl out. My advice is to start talking to her and play it by ear.

Andrei: But what if she doesn’t warm up to me?

Sven: Don’t worry. On the whole, girls like it when a guy shows courage.

Andrei: Maybe, but I have butterflies in my stomach. I guess I’ll just have to put aside my fear and ask her.

Sven: Good luck. I hope everything works out.

Vocabulary:

• advice:  what you tell someone they should do
• shyness:  feeling like other people won’t like you
• guy:  man, boy
• courage:  going through your fear to do something
• fear:  feeling of being afraid

Idioms:

• look up to (someone)                               admire, respect
• get up the nerve                                          find the courage
• ask (someone) out                                     invite (someone) on a date
• look like                                                           resemble
• get in the way                                               make it difficult to do something
• take a lot of nerve                                       require a lot of courage
• play it by ear                                                 do something without a plan
• warm up to (someone)                            become friendly with (someone)
• on the whole                                                 generally
• have butterflies in one’s stomach     be nervous
• put aside                                                          save for later
• work out                                                          bring to a successful conclusion / solve / exercise

Notes:

Work out has three meanings. The other two are:
(solve) Example:  First, we had to work out the problem of transportation.
(exercise) Example:  I don’t have time to work out at the gym anymore.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Fumi:  What chapter did Mr. Johnson want us to read for homework in history class?

Hana:  Beats me.  We could call Sarah and find out.

Fumi:  Maybe we could put it off and do it tomorrow night.

Hana:  I don’t think so.  I remember he said we had to write a chapter summary and hand it in tomorrow.

Fumi:  That’s right.  I forgot.  Let’s call Sarah right away.

Hana:  Hang on.  I just remembered something.  Sarah told me she is looking after her niece tonight , so she won’t be home.

Fumi:  Let’s look up her aunt and uncle’s number in the phone book and call her there.

Hana:  Good idea.  Go ahead.  I’ll turn down the music.

Vocabulary:

• chapter:  part of a textbook
• history:  the story of people, countries, and war
• summary:  a short paragraph with the main ideas
• niece:  brother’s or sister’s daughter
• aunt:  mother’s or father’s sister, or uncle’s wife
• uncle:  mother’s or father’s brother, or aunt’s husband

Idioms:

beats me            I don’t know
find out             get information
put off                do (something) at a later time
hand in             give to the teacher/boss
right away       immediately
hang on            wait
look after         care for
look up             get information from a book or the Internet
go ahead          start / go before
turn down      decrease (sound, light, or heat) / say no to an offer

Notes:

Beats me and search me have the same meaning.

Hand in and turn in have the same meaning.

Hang on and hold on have the same meaning.

Look after and take care of have the same meaning.

Go ahead has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “go before.
Example:  You only have a few items to buy, so you can go ahead of me.

Turn down has 2 meanings:  The second meaning is “say no to an offer.”
Example:  I asked her if she wanted to go to a movie with me, but she turned me down.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Conversation:

Mary:  Hi Julie.  What’s up?  You look tired.

Julie:  I got up early this morning to put together this new bicycle that I’m giving to Jamie for his birthday.

Mary:  Oh, that’s sweet of you.  I’m sure he’ll like it.  Listen, the reason I stopped by is to ask you to come shopping and help me pick out something to wear to John and Susan’s wedding.

Julie:  I thought they broke up, and the wedding was called off.

Mary:  That’s right, but they made up yesterday, and the wedding is on again.  I heard they cried so much, they used up a whole box of tissue.

Julie:  Is that so?  You know, all of a sudden, I want to go shopping too.  I have nothing to wear either.

Mary:  Let me help you clean up and put away these tools.

Julie:  Thanks.  You know, it’ll be fun to dress up for this wedding.  I like wearing nice clothes.

Vocabulary:

• sweet:  nice
• wedding:  marriage ceremony
• on:  happening
• tissue:  soft paper used on the face
• so:  true
• tools:  instruments used to put something together, like pliers and screw drivers

Idioms:

what’s up                  what’s happening
put together             build out of parts
stop by                        visit (someone) informally
pick out                      choose
break up (with)      end (a relationship, meeting)
make up                     become friendly after a fight or argument / create (a story)
use up                         use completely, have no more
all of a sudden       without warning, suddenly
put away                   return (something) to its proper place
dress up                    put on good clothes

Notes:

Stop by and drop by have the same meaning.

Break up is followed by with if an object is used.
Example:  Paul broke up with Judy.

Break up is never followed by with when it means “end a meeting.”
Example:  The meeting broke up at 8:00.

Make up has two meanings.  The second meaning is “create (a story)”
Example:  Johnny didn’t do his homework again, so he had to make up an excuse.

All of a sudden and all at once have the same meaning.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

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:

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:

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