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