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