PE 4/30 Team Handball

I’m just as flabbergasted as you are. Look at all these spectators! This must be the most popular sport in Iceland.

* flabbergasted: very surprised; astonished

= shocked; floored; taken aback

ex> She was flabbergasted to discover that her favorite coffee shop had gone out of business.

It’s like basketball with goalies and a huge net. Wow! Look at them go!

I thought ice hockey was exciting, but this game is fast and furious!

* fast and furious: full of rapid action

ex> The storm moved in fast and furious, so we ran for cover in a n abandoned shed.

I’ll say! Those players are running around full throttle, tossing that ball like there’s no tomorrow. I can hardly keep up!

* full throttle: with maximum energy and speed

ex> By the second quarter of next year, production will be going full throttle.

ex> My grandfather always drove at full throttle, so it’s no wonder they took his license away.

Note> This phrase gets its origin from the practice of pilots, who, when they push the throttle all the way down, make the aircraft move at its maximum speed.

* like there is no tomorrow: rapidly and without regard for future consequences

ex> Johnny sat down and started eating cherry pie like there was no tomorrow.

You nailed it, honey! I can’t believe how action-packed this game is! Woa! Goal!

* nail something: to do something perfectly or successfully

ex> You must have nailed the audition, because the director left a message offering you the lead role.

ex> Not only did he pass the test, but he nailed it: he got 98 percent!

Note> The phrase, “hit the nail on the head,” means to say or do exactly the right thing, which is a little different from the expression above.

PE 4/29 Responsible Handbags

I've been looking over these comment cards from our showcase event last week, and it looks like our handbags are going to sell like hotcakes!

* sell like hotcakes: to be popular product with strong sales

ex> These bracelets started to sell like hotcakes when Beyonce wore one to the Grammy awards.

That’s really exciting. We just have to find a way to manufacture them so that our business can stay in the black. Have you looked into where we can have them made?

* in the black: profitable; economically viable

ex> Last summer’s heat wave helped the beverage company stay in the black.

Yes I have, and there’s a plethora of options from all over the world. It’s going to be challenging to make a decision. What are our main criteria?

* plethora: a large or excessive amount

ex> A plethora of makeup containers covered the entire surface of the bathroom counter.

ex> Her writing is good, although some of her sentences contain a plethora of adjectives.

First and foremost, it has to be somewhere with cheap labor. Our designs are quite elaborate, so we can’t be paying through the nose to have them made.

* first and foremost: primarily; most importantly

ex> First and foremost, let’s get these kids into a shelter so they can dry off.

* pay through the nose: to pay an excessive amount

ex> You have to pay through the nose if you want a good bottle of wine in a restaurant.

ex> He has an impressive coin collection, but he paid through the nose for some of them.

PE 4/28 Jeff Bezos Speech – Part 4

Tomorrow, in a very real sense, your life – the life you author from scratch on your own – begins.

* from scratch: from the very beginning, without any advantage or head start

ex> After the lawsuit, we had to rebuild our business from scratch.

ex> Starting from scratch, it should take about seven hours to complete the assignment.

Note> This use of scratch derives from a line or mark drawn or scratched into the ground to indicate a boundary or starting-point in sports, especially cricket and boxing.

Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?

* wilt: to become limp; sag (especially in plants, due to heat or poor hydration)

= flop; flag; wane

ex> We were wilting in the midday sun, so we rested in the shade of a big old tree.

ex> One day after watering them, all the wilted flowers looked fresh and alive again.

Will you bluff it out when you’re wrong, or will you apologize?

* bluff: to deceive, especially through a false show of strength

ex> Your opponent just placed a very high bet, but I think he’s bluffing.

Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling?

When it’s tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless?

Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder?

* play it safe: to avoid taking risks

ex> The bus driver decided to play it safe and wait until the storm had passed.

Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?

* at the expense of: to the detriment of someone or something

ex> Should students spend so much time preparing for tests at the expense of learning how to think?

I will hazard a prediction. When you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life story, the telling that will be most compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made. In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story. Thank you and good luck!

* hazard: 틀릴 셈치고 추측하다

ex> Would you like to hazard a guess?

ex> ‘Is it Tome you’re going with?’ she hazarded.

PE 4/27 The Benefits of Orange Juice

Is it really a necessary evil? Couldn't you just filter it out?

* necessary evil: something unpleasant that is required to achieve a desired outcome

ex> Work won’t seem like a necessary evil if you find a career you really enjoy.

That would defeat the purpose, honey. You’d better just resign yourself to the fact that fresh orange juice contains pulp, and a lot of other nutrients for good measure.

* defeat the purpose: to operate contrary to the intended result

ex> Doesn't putting that fatty dressing all over your healthy salad defeat the purpose?

ex> My grandmother thinks that buying faded jeans defeats the purpose of getting new clothes.

* resign oneself to something: to accept that something undesirable can’t be avoided

ex> Traffic was terrible, so we had to resign ourselves to missing the start of the movie.

* for good measure: in addition to a minimum or sufficient amount

ex> He put a generous amount of walnuts into the bag, then added a few more for good measure.

Nutrients are not something you should frown upon. The vitamins in that juice will help your skin clear up. I’m sure that’s something McKinley Forbert would like.

* frown upon: to regard negatively

= look down on; gawk at; sneer at

ex> The government frowns upon people who avoid paying their fair share of taxes.

PE 4/24 Have to Have New Gadgets

You’re kidding, right? Your phone is only a few months old. It’s practically brand spanking new. I’m sure it still does everything you need it to.

* brand spanking new: extremely new and showing no signs of wear

ex> I’m guessing that car is brand spanking new because its finish is flawless.

As a salesman, it’s important for me to keep up with the latest technology. I can’t afford to fall behind.

* fall behind: to lose a leading position

ex> The rookie driver was leading for the first few laps, but soon fell behind.

ex> Rebecca made it a habit to study for two hours a day because she didn't want to fall behind.

You barely get the wrapping off a new gadget before you want to replace it. No one has even an infinitesimal chance of leaving you in their dust.

* infinitesimal: extremely tiny; approaching zero

ex> My mother gets angry if she finds even an infinitesimal crumb on the kitchen counter.

* leave someone in one’s dust: to surpass someone quickly and decisively

ex> Tom’s new bike was very fast, so he left us all in his dust.

Note> The expression refers to a race, where the person who is behind faces the dust of the person running ahead of him.

Good. That’s how it should be. I need to stay ahead of the pack.

* ahead of the pack: in a position that is superior to the majority

= ahead of the curve; ahead of the game; one step ahead

ex> Running ten kilometers every day helped keep Monica ahead of the pack.

Note> The meaning comes from the image of a wolf pack, where the leader is always at the head of the pack.

PE 4/23 Learning about the Northern Lights

Isn’t this exciting, Max? Thanks to this bus trip, we’ll have a golden opportunity to see the northern lights!

* golden opportunity: a very good chance to do or achieve something

ex> When I discovered I would be studying with Professor Ralston, I knew it was a golden opportunity.

Oh! I see you know their scientific name! How did you figure out how to adjust the camera?

* figure out: to determine, calculate or solve

ex> Robin figured out that if we left by eight o’clock, we’d get to the village in time.

Good for you. I've just been reading that the lights are caused by charged particles striking the earth’s atmosphere.

Wow! You sound like you've been hanging around a university library! I thought I’d done my homework, but you’re wiping the floor with me, Max!

* hang around: to remain within one place; loiter

ex> When Sue was a teenager, she like to hang around art galleries and museums.

ex> Why don’t we hang around here until it’s time to leave for the concert?

Note> This also means to spend time with certain company or associate with someone.

ex> She likes to hang around an older crowd.

* do one’s homework: to conduct research in preparation for something

= done some research looked up some things; got some info

ex> You’ll be able to eliminate the companies you won’t want to work for if you do your homework.

* wipe the floor with someone: to defeat or surpass someone easily

ex> We thought we were prepared, but the visiting team wiped the floor with us.

PE 4/22 A Tasty Bonus

Hey Corrie! So you got called in early today too? What’s shaking?

* What’s shaking?: What is the (reason for the) present situation?; What have you been doing?

= What’s going on?; What’s new?’ What’s up?

ex> Let’s run down to where all the police cars are and see what’s shaking.

Ooh! I’m stoked! Our chef always comes up with culinary masterpieces. What this one?

* stoke: (informal) to excite or thrill (literally: to add fuel to a fire)

ex> Michelle and her friends are stoked that Jason Mraz is going to be performing here.

ex> I remember watching my grandmother stoke the fire in her old wood-burning stove.

The card says it’s goat cheese royale with roasted beet marmalade and toasted crushed pistachios. It sounds fantastic.

Wow! I’m in seventh heaven! Try it, Corrie.

* in seventh heaven: in a state of extreme happiness and joy

ex> Beth was in seventh heaven when she received her acceptance letter.

Note> Many religions believe that the seventh heaven is where God and the most exalted angels dwell.

All these yummy dishes and a free education thrown in? I love my job!

* throw in: to include for free

ex> The shopkeeper said he would throw in an extra memory card and a case.

ex> She had good looks and a positive attitude, with lots of common sense throw in.

You’re singing my tune!

* sing one’s tune: to be in complete agreement with someone

ex> If you want to go out for drinks after work, you’re singing my tune.

PE 4/21 Jeff Bezos Speech – Part 3

MacKenzie (also a Princeton grad and sitting here in the second row) told me I should go for it.

* go for it: to attempt to gain or achieve something

ex> Even though there were many applicants for the scholarship, I decided to go for it.

Note> The phrasal verb, “go for,” means to choose or decide on.

I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people, and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired.

* brilliant: exceptionally smart or talented

ex> Ms. Park always comes up with brilliant solutions to organizational problems.

That logic made some sense to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision.

* make sense: to be reasonable, logical, or understandable

ex> Brad was so happy that the instruction for his new camera actually made sense.

Seen in that light, it really was a difficult choice, but ultimately, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing.

* give it a shot: to attempt to do something

= give it a try; try it; try my hand at it

ex> I don’t know if I’ll be any good at diving, but I’m willing to give it a shot.

And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.

* haunted by something: saddened or troubled by something from the past

ex> Muriel was haunted by the realization that she’d missed an important opportunity.

ex> It’s much better to accept and learn from mistakes than to be haunted by them.

PE 4/20 Texting at the Wheel

It’s okay, Jinny. I’m fine. I’m just at the side of the road waiting for the tow truck to show up.

* show up: to appear; to arrive

ex> We had just been talking about Faith, and she suddenly showed up.

Thank goodness. From now on, leave your phone in your pocket when you’re driving, okay? Is the car badly damaged?

* from now on: starting from the present time and continuing indefinitely

ex> This new fruit smoothie is so tasty that I've decided to order it from now on.

It could be a write-off. I’m glad to say the truck and its driver got off lightly: he was fine, and the truck only suffered a bend bumper.

* write-off: something damaged or incapacitated beyond repair

ex> The fire caused so much damaged that the entire building was a write-off.

* get off lightly: to receive less punishment or damage than expected

ex> Because Jeremy had been such a responsible student, he got off lightly for breaking the window.

Note> If you “take something lightly,” you don’t consider something seriously.

Thanks love, but I’m really okay – just a little shamefaced.

* shamefaced: embarrassed; ashamed

ex> Cody looked shamefaced when his mother found the broken flower pot.

PE 4/17 Her Husband’s True Colors

What is it? Still all gung-ho about the renovation?

* gung-ho: enthusiastic

ex> They were gung-ho to go hiking until they realized how cold and wet it was.

Note> “Gung-ho” is a term from World War II. It comes from Mandarin Chinese “gonghe” (The “gong” in gonghe” means “work,” while “he” means “combine, join.”).

Uh-huh. Which do you think would be a better color for the trim in the hallway? This is the sage we’ve chosen for the walls, but I’m still hemming and hawing over whether this maroon or this aquamarine would look best with it.

* hem and haw: to be indecisive

= wavering; vacillating

ex> Sheila usually hems and haws for a long time before making decisions.

Not to me. You have free rein to pick whichever one you like.

* free rein: unrestricted permission

ex> This study says that kids who are given free rein to watch as much television as they want become better at managing their time.

Nope. Not a modicum.

* modicum: a very tiny amount, especially of something valuable.

ex> If you had a modicum of sense, you would realize that I’m always right.

ex> There wasn't a modicum of cash in the house, so we had to go to the bank.

I didn't. I just made that up to see you do an about-face. So… maroon or aquamarine for the hallway?

* about-face: a reversal of position or opinion

ex> The boy did an about-face when he realized his lie had been discovered.

PE 4/16 Feeling the Heat in Iceland

I’m sure glad you know your way around, Leonard. Is this actually a road?

* know one’s way around: to be capable of navigating the surrounding area

ex> Candice has lived here all her life, so she knows her way around.

Note> This expression also means to be informed and experienced; be seasoned and reliable.

Whoa! That’s a fresh eruption all right – an immense lava field without a shred of vegetation, and plenty of steam!

* a shred of: a very small amount of something

ex> Police were unable to find a shred of evidence at the crime scene.

I knew you’d be impressed. And this is only one of many. Now you can see why we Icelanders are able to harness geothermal energy to such a great extent.

* to a great extent: in a prodigious manner; extensively

ex> The economy recovered to a great extent during the prime minister’s term.

Better safe than sorry, I guess.

* better safe than sorry: a cautious approach will prevent tragedy

ex> We decided we’d be better safe than sorry, so we didn’t take the shortcut.

As a plan B, we can drive to one of the observation sites on the active side. They’re farther away, but you’ll get to talk to some first-rate geologists.

* plan B: an alternative idea or strategy

ex> Let’s come up with a plan B in case we don’t like the movie.

PE 4/15 jumping for Geneva

Are you pulling my leg? I’d kill for that kind of opportunity! What’s holding you back?

* kill for something: to want desperately

ex> I’d kill for the opportunity to visit all the countries you've travelled to!

* hold one back: to prevent one’s progress

ex> Sharon quit her job because her boss’ prejudices were holding her back.

ex> The belief that my old bike would be repaired held me back from buying a new one.

You’d be in the heart of western Europe, living in a clean and safe lakeside city on the French border, a short train ride or cheap flight to Paris, Rome, Vienna… does any of that pique your interest?

* pique one’s interest: to stimulate or excite one’s attention

ex> The new course offerings at the community center have really piqued my interest.

ex> Is there anything in this brochure that piques your interest?

Note> The verb “pique” means to make someone angry or annoyed. But when something “piques your interest or curiosity,” here the verb “pique” just means to arouse, stimulate, or excite.

Well, sure! But I’m worried about the office environment. My French is a little rusty.

* rusty: weakened through lack of use

ex> He’s a little rusty, but my uncle can still play the drums.

Thanks, Marcus. It sounds like I’d really regret it if I didn't jump at this chance.

* jump at the chance: to eagerly accept an opportunity

ex> The young student jumped at the chance to stay with an English speaking family.

PE 4/14 Jeff Bezos Speech – part 2

I have a vivid memory of what happened, and it was not what I expected. I expected to be applauded for my cleverness and arithmetic skill.

* vivid: producing strong feelings and mental images

ex> The new musical made a vivid impression on the audience.

“Jeff, you’re so smart. You had to have made some tricky estimates, figure out the number of minutes in a year and do some division.” That’s not what happened. Instead, my grandmother burst into tears. I sat in the backseat and did not know what to do.

* burst into tears: to begin crying suddenly

ex> Tina’s mom was so happy and surprised by the gift that she burst into tears.

While my grandmother sat crying, my grandfather, who had been driving in silence, pulled over onto the shoulder of the highway.

* pull over: to steer a vehicle toward the side of the road

ex> I thought the policeman was flashing his lights at me, so I pulled over.

My grandfather was a highly intelligent, quiet man. He had never said a harsh word to me, and maybe this was to be the first time?

* harsh: severe; extreme

= unkind; cruel; sharp

ex> The soldier received a harsh reprimand for leaving his post without permission.

You can seduce yourself with your gifts if you’re not careful, and if you do, it’ll probably be to the detriment of your choices.

* detriment: a state of being harmed or damaged

ex> Bob began to smoke even more heavily, to the detriment of his health.

PE 4/13 Healthy Honey

Yep – this is the place. We have a good selection of honey productions on hand right now. What are you after?

* on hand: available at the present location

ex> As the test date approached, she made sure all her textbooks were on hand.

* be after something: to want or seek something

= What is it that you want?; have in mind; looking for

ex> I’ll be going to the mall later today because I’m after a new pair of workout shoes.

That sounds like an old wives’ tale.

* old wives’ tale: a superstition or traditional belief that is incorrect

ex> Don’t believe that old wives’ tale that making funny faces will permanently change your face.

Note> Here are some popular old wives’ tales: You’ll catch a cold if you go out with wet hair; Don’t eat spicy food if you’re prone to ulcers; Another drink will help a hangover.

Yep. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. That’s why I tell people to buy organic fruits and vegetables. It’s better for them, and better for the bees.

* accident/disaster waiting to happen: a dangerous situation

ex> The faulty traffic light was an accident waiting to happen.

ex> The buildup of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide is a disaster waiting to happen.

That settles it. I’ll take a large jar of the clover honey, a medium lavender honey, and two pairs of those beeswax candles.

* that settles it: the decision has been made

ex> That settles it: we’ll give our notice tomorrow and move next month.

PE 4/10 Playing Games on a First Date

What’s your deal, Kevin? You’re not listening to me, and your eyes have been glued to your phone all through dinner to boot. Is one of your friends in trouble?

* eyes are glued: paying close attention to something and ignoring everything else

ex> Jim’s eyes were glued to the game because the score was so close.

* to boot: in addition

ex> The salary offer they've made is very generous, and they've included a car to boot.

ex> Kerris is an excellent pupil, a star athlete, and an attractive girl to boot.

Trouble? Uh, no. It’s just that there’s this, uh, new game that I’m really into.

* be into: to have as a hobby or interest

= be crazy about; be obsessed with; really dig something

ex> All the boys in my son’s class are into an online game about mutant dinosaurs.

That does it. Don’t bother asking me out for a date until you've taken care of your problem. The ball is in your court. I’m leaving. Goodnight.

* That does it.: the final or deciding thing has been reached

ex> That does it. It took us three weeks, but the jigsaw puzzle is finally finished.

* ball is in one’s court: one has the responsibility or option to make the next move

ex> We revised our offer on the house, so the ball is in the seller’s court.

PE 4/9 Traditional Icelandic Cuisine

That sounds like an acquired taste. What else is there?

* acquired taste: something that can only become appealing after repeated exposure

ex> Blue cheese is so strong that many people feel it’s an acquired taste.

Note> Here’s a brief list of foods that require an acquired taste: durian, natto, blue cheese, vegemite, and even kimchi (for foreigners, of course)

Not on your life. I wouldn't touch them. I've never even tried most of the traditional dishes. You can only wash them down with brennevin, which is like a potent herbal schnapps. It’ll knock your socks off.

* not on your life: under no circumstances

= absolutely not!; No way Jose!; Are you kidding me?

ex> You want me to touch a tarantula? Not on your life!

* knock one’s socks off: to overwhelm or amaze someone

ex> That last singer in the competition really knocked the judges’ socks off.

ex> That chili sauce is so hot it’ll knock your socks off!

I think I’ll take my chances with the tuna salad. It seems like a safe bet.

* take one’s chances: to be willing to take a risk on something

ex> I know this subject so well that I’ll take my chances on the exam.

PE 4/8 Taking a Chance on a New Employee

Kim, what’s your take on the new product development candidate… um… Colette Dixon? Is she hiring material?

* one’s take on something: one’s opinion on a particular person, object or situation

= opinion of; view of; Where do you stand on~

ex> Kyle wants Jennifer’s take on this ad concept before he runs it in the newspaper.

* hiring material: a desirable job candidate

ex> Now that our business is set up, we need to look for some good hiring material.

Note> A person who’s “marriage material” is someone who would make a good spouse.

To be honest Marv, she sounds a bit loopy. I’m not sure her elevator goes to the top floor, if you know what I’m saying.

* somebody’s elevator doesn't go to the top floor: someone is not mentally sharp or reliable

ex> Barb was offended when the bartender implied her elevator didn’t go to the top floor.

But what if she’s one percent spark and ninety-nine percent dingbat? All those great ideas won’t be much use to us if her character prevents our other staff members from getting their work done.

* dingbat: an eccentric or foolish person

ex> Margie could be a bit of a dingbat at times, but she was very lovable.

I have an idea. We could give her her own space – that side room in the lab would be ideal. And assign someone who’s a patient mediator and good people person to be her assistant.

* people person: someone who is personable and sociable

ex> My friend Christy is the ideal customer service agent because she’s a real people person.

PE 4/7 Jeff Bezos Speech – Part 1

We’d hitch up the Airstream trailer to my grandfather’s car, and off we’d go, in a line with 300 other Airstream adventurers. I loved and worshipped my grandparents and I really looked forward to these trips.

* off one goes: an announcement or request that one’s journey begins

ex> Off we went to see if we could find everything on our shopping list.

At any rate, I decided to do the math for my grandmother. I estimated the number of cigarettes per days, estimated the number of puffs per cigarette and so on.

* at any rate: regardless; anyway

ex> The shirt doesn't fit me at any rate, so the color doesn't matter.

* do the math: perform a calculation

ex> If you do the math, you’ll realize that it makes more sense to buy a used car.

Note> This also means to come to a conclusion based on the relevant facts and figures, typically with the implication that the result is or should be obvious.

When I was satisfied that I’d come up with a reasonable umber, I poked my head into the front of the car, tapped my grandmother on the shoulder, and proudly proclaimed, “At two minutes per puff, you've taken nine years off your life!”

* come up with something: to invent, create, or think of something

ex> The class came up with a clever idea for sharing their maintenance responsibilities.

* take (number) years off one’s life: to reduce one’s lifespan by the specified duration

ex> Living in a city with poor air quality can take ten years off your life.

Note> Without a number, the expression “take years off someone,” means to “make someone seem or look younger.”

ex> Studies show that regular exercise can take years off you.

PE 4/6 Running for the Joy of It

Great run, Rosie. Take a minute to catch your breath, then I’d like to talk to you over by the fence if you don’t mind.

* catch one’s breath: to rest after an exertion or strenuous activity

ex> why don’t we catch our breath here before continuing the hike?

That’s kind of what I wanted to bring up. Your form is looking really good, but you stayed in the rear of the pack for most of the race, and you only rallied after the first runner had crossed the finished line.

* bring up: to introduce a particular subject to a conversation

ex> Mrs. Dawson always brings up politics when she comes over for coffee.

ex> Several important items were brought up at the sales meeting, mostly involving client relations.

Rosie, competitive sports are hard work, not a joyride. It’s a competition. You have what it takes to be winning these races, and it looks bad on both of us when you don’t. Why aren't you giving it your best shot?

* joyride: a short trip taken for pleasure

ex> Jake took us for a joyride in his new car.

Note> This also means to use a vehicle that is most likely not yours to pass time by driving it on a random route.

* give it one’s best shot: to try one’s best at something

= doing your best; giving it your all; doing your utmost

ex> We may not win the game, but we’ll sure give it our best shot.

ex> Fiona’s parents never expected perfect test scores; they were happy that she gave it her best shot.

As your coach, I’m a bit disappointed, but I do see your point. Let’s talk about this again at our next practice. Hopefully we can get things back on track… uh, so to speak.

* back on tract: running according to schedule again

ex> Once we read the road map again, we were soon back on track.

Note> This phrase originated from the work it takes to put a derailed train back on its normal railway track.

PE 4/3 Bathroom or Library?

Sheesh. Can’t a guy get a little privacy? Okay – keep your shirt on. I’m coming out now.

* keep one’s shirt on: to stop being impatient

ex> If you’ll keep your shirt on for a moment, I’ll run to the store and get some more.

Note> This phrase may originate from the fact that when people get angry and are looking to fight, they’ll sometimes remove their shirt.

Mitch, that’s our only bathroom. It’s for when nature calls. It’s not a library. You can read anywhere in the house. I can’t believe you’d be so inconsiderate.

* nature calls: one has to go to the bathroom

ex> Do students still have to ask permission to leave the classroom when nature calls?

Malarkey! If I’d kept mum, you’d still be in there. And don’t you dare put that magazine on our kitchen table! That’s how germs get spread.

* keep mum: to remain silent about something

= didn't say a peep; didn't say a word; kept my mouth shut

ex> Tragedies can occur when employees keep mum about their bosses’ mistakes.

Sorry, Wendy. I forgot that reading in the bathroom is kind of a pet peeve for you.

* pet peeve: something an individual habitually finds very irritating

ex> The sound of someone cracking their knuckles is my pet peeve.

I guess you could call it that, but it just seems very unsanitary to me. Hold that thought, and we can discuss it in a few minutes, okay?

* hold that thought: to save the current topic for later discussion

ex> Susie asked them to hold that thought, then ran out of the room without saying where she was going. 

4/2 Korean Movies

Talk about how Korean movies have changed over the years.

I used to watch Hollywood movies in the past. But now, I enjoy watching Korean movies because they have become much better than in the past. They are a lot better in quality. In fact, Korean movies are hitting the all-time record in the Korean box office. Korean movies are also being exported overseas. They are winning awards at big film festivals. Some Korean actor and actresses have successfully made their debut in Hollywood. Some Korean directors have done so as well. Meanwhile, some big-scale Hollywood movies are being shot in Korea. "The Avengers" sequel was shot in Korea actually.

@ I'm not that much of a movie fan.  난 그렇게 영화를 좋아하는 편이 아니야.

4/1 April Fools’ Day

Talk about April Fools' Day.

People play jokes on one another on April Fools' Day. Some make verbal jokes to others. For instance, they would pretend that they are getting married or something. These days, many people also send prank text messages to trick others. They also post jokes on their social networking sites. Some make prank calls to various locations. Some newspapers even print bogus articles to trick their readers. Even television or radio shows are known to join in on the fun as well. When a person figures out it's a joke, you say, "April Fool!" Overall, it's important to remember that jokes should not go over the line.

@ You can't fool me.  난 못 속여.

@ Related Topics>> April Fools’ Day (2014.4.1, 2013.4.1, 2012.4.2)

PE 4/2 Fun Facts about Iceland

Look at this! There’s a whole second page of trivia about Iceland! What a great way to get a handle on a country! This is the best in-flight magazine I’ve ever seen!

* get a handle on something: to begin to understand or become familiar with something

ex> Once I got a handle on calculus, the rest of my studies were relatively easy.

* trivia: 사소한 정보, 일반 상식

It’s in Greenland. The Vikings came up with that little trick to keep all the riff-raff out of Iceland.

* riff-raff: 별 볼일 없는 사람들

Who knew? Anyway, not to put pressure on you, but it looks like we’ll be landing soon, so maybe you should put that away for now.

* put pressure on someone: to assertively try to motivate someone to do something

ex> I think that salesman is trying to put pressure on me to buy this huge car.

Um, Krista? I think the flight attendant is putting her foot down now. She wants you to close your tray.

* put one’s foot down: to insist

ex> If our tenant won’t turn down his music, we’ll have to put our foot down.

ex> Elly put her foot down, so we all went to the movie she wanted to see.

Note> This expression also means to drive faster, to press down harder on the accelerator (gas) pedal of your car.

ex> We’re going to be late unless you put your foot down.

I haven’t the foggiest idea, but I really think you should stop reading about Iceland, because we’re a few seconds away from landing on it. That flight attendant is almost fit to be tied.

* not have the foggiest idea: to not know

ex> My dad stopped to ask for directions because we didn’t have the foggiest idea where we were.

* fit to be tied: angry and agitated (almost to the point of requiring physical restraint)

ex> By the time the boys finally got home, their mother was fit to be tied.

ex> I was fit to be tied when I discovered that the friend I trusted had betrayed me.

PE 4/1 Working the Late Shift

Finally? Why would you want that? By the time we get cleaned up after shutting down for the night, it’ll be too late to do anything but go home and crawl into bed.

* shut down: to halt operations temporarily or permanently

ex> The company decided to shut down the factory due to a lack of sales.

Note> A person can shut down emotionally which means he/she refuses to open herself/himself to certain emotions (especially if it’s painful)

Personally, I like the excitement of serving the midday clientele. They know what they want, the tables turn over quickly, and the tips pile up. There’s no time to get bored.

Yeah, but the evening customers can drop a lot of coin. The tips can be pretty good.

* drop a lot of coin: to spend a significant amount of money

ex> Jamie must have dropped a lot of coin to get that vintage sports car.

Fat chance! While you’re feathering your nest with those big evening tips, I’ll be hanging out with my friends. Hey – why don’t you come out with us sometime? My friends would love you.

* fat chance: very unlikely; no way

= not a chance!; no way; forget it!

ex> You want to borrow my car for a week? Fat chance!

* feather one’s nest: to accumulate money or valuables for one’s own benefit

ex> Those two never go out any more because they’re feathering their nests for retirement.

Note> This expression alludes to birds making a soft nest for their eggs.

Careful – I may just take you up on that!

* take one up on something: to accept an offer someone has made

ex> Judith kept inviting us to her place for dinner, so we finally took her up on it.

ex> I took Cal up on his offer to introduce me to his cousin.