PE 11/27 Turning Up the Heat on Men

* stifling: hot enough to cause breathing difficulty

ex> The engine room was a stifling, noisy place, but I loved it down there.

Note> The verb stifle means “to choke, suffocate or drown,” and is related to the verb to stuff. Fr an unknown reason, stifling has come to refer only to breathing difficulty caused by excessive heat.

* a while back: some time ago

ex> Harry and Leanne started dating a while back, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they got married.

* innate: part of something’s basic nature; existing form birth

ex> Dogs and cats have demonstrated the innate ability to find their way home over great distances.

* upset the applecart: to disturb the way things are done; spoil plans

ex> The new theory has really upset the applecart in the physics world.

Note> We usually think of the word upset as referring to a person’s state of mind, but it also means “to knock something over.” An expression like upset the cart has meant “to spoil plans” since Roman times.

* put one’s foot in one’s mouth: to say something that causes one embarrassment

ex> Lance put his foot in his mouth by making fun of the boss when she was standing right behind him.

* all in one’s head: imagined, but not real

ex> If you think I said I’d pay you back this week, It’s all in your head.

* it so happens: 진실이다

This expression might seem pointless, but is used for emphasis, like when presenting a piece of information that has great impact on the current situation, especially when the person being addressed doesn’t know or believe that information.

ex> It so happens that I have a pair of heavy-duty wire cutters right here.

PE 11/26 Climbing Madagascar’s Pic Body

* don’t judge a book by its cover: don’t let appearances affect your opinion of someone or something

ex> Marlene might not seem clever, but don’t judge a book by its cover.

* taxing: physically or mentally demanding

ex> Studying for my driving test was very taxing, so I’m very glad I passed.

* get about: to go from place to place

ex> My grandmother now uses a walker to get about, but she’s doing okay.

* indigenous: originating or occurring naturally in a specific place

ex> Mona plans to replace our entire garden next year with only indigenous plants.

* off the grid: not dependent on public utilities

ex> I used to think that only crazy hermits lived off the grid, but now I realize it’s a viable option.

Note> Grid is a shortened form of gridiron, which was an iron griddle for cooking food over a fire. The term grid became applied to any network of intersecting lines, like those found on a map.

* hustle and bustle: busy and noisy activity

ex> Tired of the hustle and bustle of the capital, the couple moved to the countryside.

Note> This expression is almost redundant, although the two parts of it came to English from different sources. Hustle is from a Dutch word meaning “to shake,” and bustle is from an old Icelandic word meaning “to thrash about.”

* full-bore: 최대한으로, 최고 속도로 (움직이는)

This expression is sometimes spelled without the hyphen. both spellings are correct. In time, the hyphen might vanish from this expression completely, as it has from others.

ex> When I saw him, he was going full-bore towards the grocery store, so maybe he forgot to get something. 

PE 11/25 Stacy Makes a Case

* fit someone or something in: to make time in one’s schedule for something

ex> The handball program was very appealing, but I just couldn’t fit it in.

* make a case: to give reasons to support a belief or idea

ex> Walter the security guard made a case for putting heavier furniture in the lobby.

* voucher: a piece of paper that can be exchanged for goods or services

ex> The store is giving out vouchers because they’ve sold out of some sale items.

* sticky wicket: a difficult situation

ex> Having an accident with the car you borrowed from your sister is a sticky wicket.

Note> This expression comes from the sport of cricket, where a sticky wicket is a section of the playing surface that has become wet, causing the cricket ball to bounce in an unpredictable way.

* clear something with: to get someone’s approval for something

ex> If you can clear it with your parents, you can stay here for the weekend.

* warm to: to become more likely to accept or agree to something

ex> Your father is warming to the idea of putting in a swimming pool next year.

* bump: 부딪치다, 이동시키다

This word has a few meanings, but they are related to one another, which makes them easier to remember. The noun bump can mean a raised portion on a surface, or the effect of running into one, namely a sudden impact or jolt.

ex> I see that. It looks like we’ll have to bump some students again this semester.

PE 11/24 Kara Walker Interview

* medium: a material or substance used to do something or transfer something from one place to another

ex> Cay has been a medium for artistic expression since before recorded history.

Note> The plural form of medium is media. This is why you will often see the word media used with a plural verb tense. The same applies to the word data, which is the plural form of datum.

* silhouette: the dark shape of something against a lighter background

ex> From the bushes, we could see the silhouettes of two people having a very intense argument.

Note> The French word silhouette was named after an unpopular Minister of Finance in France, who was in power only for part of 1759. It is unknown whether the connection was due to the cheapness of the paper silhouette art form, or the Minister’s very brief term in office.

* thing: a style or phase; an item that one cannot or will not refer to by its name

ex> Would you please stop wearing that thing in the house?

ex> When did Jackson Pollack begin doing the drip-painting thing?

* temporal: related to time or earthly matters

ex> Jenet believes that people who leave the temporal would enter a spiritual one.

* finicky: requiring much care and attention; hard to please

ex> I finally got a new computer and got rid of the finicky old one.

ex> My son is a very finicky eater: there are only a few vegetables he will eat at all.

* cathartic: allowing the expression of restrained emotions to bring relief

ex> I found that playing in a drum circle was a very cathartic experience.

* component: 구성 요소, 성분

A component can be physical or non-physical. An example of a non-physical component is a portion or aspect of a training program.

ex> An engine component had shaken loose and was rubbing against the fan belt.

PE 11/23 Hercules at the Dog Park

* interact: to have a mutual effect

ex> Ms. Faber is an excellent teacher because she interacts with her students.

* fuss over: to be overly attentive to someone or something

ex> Tanya is always fussing over her baby, but Donna lets her baby relax and enjoy its surroundings.

* bet one dollars to donuts: to be very certain about something

ex> I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that Bob will move back here within six months.

* have the time of one’s life: to have a very good time

ex> We went to Greece last month and had the time of our lives.

* reinforce: to strengthen or add support to something

ex> To reinforce my point, I’ve brought some samples we can pass around the room.

Note> Many English words have the prefix “re-,” which means “to do again.” Reinforce was originally spelled re-enforce or reenforce, and was used in military contexts.

* the more the merrier: an event is more enjoyable if there are more participants

ex> Michelle thinks it’s rude to invite people to someone else’s party but I say, “the more the merrier.”

* fire up: 흥분한, 열광한

This expression is sometimes applied to machines, especially engine-powered vehicles or equipment. In that context, it means to start a machine that has been idle for a while.

ex> I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so fired up. Did you have an extra cup of coffee or something?

PE 11/20 Gaming vs. Reading

* in the zone: feeling a sense of focus and achievement

ex> Brett is the only guy I know who claims to be in the zone when he’s winning at Scrabble.

* the pot calling the kettle black: accusing someone of doing something that one is guilty of oneself

ex> You say I’m always late for everything, but that’s the pot calling the kettle black.

Note> Another, less common form of this expression is the cat calling the kettle black, which would only make sense if all cats were black.

* insidious: harmful in a slow, undetectable way

ex> Brandon thinks that the fast food industry is an insidious plot to make us all fat and lazy.

Note> The Latin root of insidious literally means “to sit on.” It implies that something dangerous is sitting somewhere, waiting to ambush its victim. Adopted into French, it later came to mean “deceitful or cunning.”

* double standard: a rule that is applied differently to different individuals or groups

ex> There are still many double standards in the workplace that make it difficult for women to advance in their careers.

* same old song and dance: excuses or stories that are repeated to a boring or annoying degree

ex> Whenever things don’t go well for Dale, he goes into the same old song and dance about how difficult his childhood was.

* drop it: to stop talking about something because it is upsetting or annoying

ex> I know you enjoy teasing me about my new girlfriend, but please just drop it.

* parrot: (맹무새처럼) 뜻도 모르고 흉내내다

There’s another animal whose name is used as a verb that roughly means “to imitate”: the ape. To ape someone or something is to imitate it in a clumsy or unskilled way, but to parrot someone means to repeat their ideas as if they were your own, even if you don’t understand them.

ex> She’s just at that stage where she parrots all the radical ideas she hears at college. She’ll grow out of it.

PE 11/19 Amazed by the Giant Baobb

* itching to + verb: restlessly eager

ex> Cheryl is itching to know what I got her for her birthday, but she’ll just have to wait.

* stoked: excited; thrilled (informal)

ex> My brother is so stocked that he got tickets to see his favorite band next month.

Note> The verb stoke meaning “to add fuel to, or to otherwise revive a fire” came to English from the Dutch language. It gained its contemporary usage in the slang used by surfers beginning in the 1960’s.

* emblematic: acting as a symbol for something

ex> The priests’ white robes are emblematic of their spiritual purity.

* figment of one’s imagination: something untrue that one believes is real

ex> There weren’t really three cookies left: that was a figment of your imagination.

ex> Is it also a figment of my imagination that there are crumbs on your book?

Note> This expression is actually redundant, as figment by itself means “something made up or invented in the mind.” However, the word figment is very rarely heard on its own.

* give one the benefit of the doubt: to accept that one is being truthful even if the evidence is incomplete

ex> Even though we haven’t read your report card yet, we’re going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that it’s as good as you say it is.

* boggle the mind: causes astonishment

ex> It boggles the mind that my favorite team hasn’t won a championship in sixty years.

* blow away: 놀라게 하다; 이기다

This is a very tricky idiom, as it has a wide range of alternate meanings. Apart from the above meanings, be blown away means “to be carried to an unreachable place by the wind” and “to be killed by a firearm.”

ex> But I didn’t think it had gone that well. I’m blown away that I got the top mark!

PE 11/18 An Unpopular Development

* up to speed: aware of the details of a situation

ex> As soon as Max gets here, please bring him up to speed on the Wilson account before the meeting.

* the straight goods: the complete truth

ex> The salesman says that the car is in excellent condition, but I don’t think he’s giving me the straight goods.

ex> Give me the straight goods, doctor: will I be able to play the violin after this operation?

* eyesore: an ugly or unpleasant sight in a public place

ex> That bridge is so graceful that it’s hard to believe some people think it’s an eyesore.

* blight: a plant disease; something that causes disease-like harm or damage

ex> My vegetable garden did well last year, except for the potatoes, which had blight.

ex> He was always treated like a blight on the family just because of his physical problems.

* give one carte blanche: to allow one to do what they want

ex> When she was twelve, her parents gave her carte blanche to paint her room any way she liked.

Note> French for “white card,” a carte blanche was originally a blank sheet of paper signed by the King, allowing the recipient to write whatever they wanted above the signature and have complete freedom from prosecution.

* point fingers: to blame someone for something

ex> My kids always start pointing fingers the moment something gets broken.

* go over: 받아들여지다

Be careful not to confuse this definition with another meaning for go over, which is “to go to a specific place,” as in: Let’s go over to Tony’s place after the concert.”

ex> While you’re writing dialogue for a play, do you ever think about how the lines will go over?

PE 11/17 Julian Schnabel Interview

* acclaimed: famous for excelling at something

ex> He worked alongside people for many years who had no idea he was an acclaimed composer.

Note> The word acclaim comes from the Latin word clamare, which means “to shout.” It’s the same root that gives us the word exclaim, which means “to shout out loud.”

* come about: to develop into a reality; happen

ex> My work with underprivileged children in Laos came about through a college friends.

* not good enough: unworthy of one’s time or attention

ex> I know you love him, but I really feel he’s not good enough for you.

* happen to: do incidentally; do by chance

ex> I happened to find a hardware store on my way here, so I bought all the fasteners we’ll need.

Note> The new-archaic root word hap, which means “good fortune,” came to English from Old Norse, the language of the Vikings who conquered parts of the British Isles. It is the root of many English words related to good or bad luck, like happy, mishap, hapless and perhaps.

* put up with: to endure

ex> Because of the crowded conditions, we had to put up with some people not smelling as good as they could have.

* deal with: to interact with; tolerate

ex> In my old job, I had to deal with unhappy customers all day.

* not know what to do with oneself: 아주 불안하다, 뭘 해야 할지 모르다

This expression is similar to “fit to be tied” (angry) and “beside oneself” (distraught) or “out of sorts” (a general abnormal emotional state). However, to “not know what to do with oneself” carries the idea of restlessness and agitation.

ex> Beginner’s luck, I guess. I’m so glad you brought these games, or I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.

PE 11/16 Theater for a Good Cause

* miss the boat: to be too late to do something

ex> I know we all wanted to see the exhibition before it ended, but it looks like we’ve missed the boat.

* strike a balance: to achieve a suitable compromise between two or more conditions

ex> The piece strikes a balance between a light, lyrical tone and an intense exploration of darker themes.

* nosebleed section: the highest seats in a performance venue

ex> Because our seats are in the nosebleed section, I brought a radio so we can listen to the game.

Note> This expression is used primarily in the US and Canada. It possibly originated from an episode in the American 1970’s TV comedy Happy Days, when the character “Fonzie” complained that he was getting a nose bleed from climbing up to high seats at a concert.

* modest: not large or luxurious; plain

ex> She lived in a modest apartment in Greenwich Village for most of her life.

* outreach program: a social program intended to help the poor, elderly, homeless, etc.

ex> Our taxes aren’t enough to pay for outreach programs, so I always give a little through their websites.

* the salt of the earth: a worthy person (or people) of high moral integrity

ex> Shannon is the salt of the earth: you can rely on her for anything

Note> This expression is taken from the Bible. In biblical times, salt was very valuable, and was sometimes used to pay people for their work. This practice was the origin of the word salary.

* proceeds: 수익금, 수입

Don’t confuse this noun with the third person singular form of the verb “to proceed.” The pronunciation is different, too: the noun has the emphasis on the first syllable.

ex> Congratulations on selling your old car. What do you plan to do with the proceeds?

PE 11/13 Assembling Furniture Together – In a Way

* forge ahead: to move forward strongly and boldly

ex> We were so confident we’d win the contract that we forged ahead with designs for the project.

Note> this expression could have something to do with forge, which means “to shape a metal object by heating it and striking it repeatedly with a hammer.” Or it could be a variation of the word force.

* see fit: to consider it correct or acceptable to do something

ex> What surprises me the most is that you saw fit to let your little brother go to the store on his own.

* methodical: systematic and orderly

ex> He was grateful that his wife’s methodical nature meant that all their paperwork was perfectly in order.

* in the lead: ahead of all others

ex> these binoculars make it easy to see which horse is in the lead.

* hit a snag: to encounter an obstacle

ex> His plan hit a snag when he discovered that the cars could not be registered in that country.

Note> The original meaning of snag refers to a sharp branch sticking out from the stump of a tree. It later came to mean a dead tree branch or stump sticking out of the water as an obstacle to boats.

* start over: to begin again

ex> Louise disliked any game where an opponent’s actions could force another player to start over.

* outskirts: 변두리, 교외

There are several casual (and slightly derogatory) expressions that mean the same as outskirts, including “the boonies,” “the bullies,” and “the sticks.”

ex> I’m not living on the outskirts of town and spending three hours driving to and from work every day.

PE 11/12 A River Trip Through Madagascar

* what you see is what you get: the present situation or item will not change or be added to

ex> I’m sorry if you don’t like the looks of dinner, but what you see is what you get.

Note> This expression became a popular acronym during the early personal computing era. Spelled WYSIWYG and pronounced “wizzy-wig,” it referred to software that allowed the user to see exactly what something would look like when it was printed.

* at the risk of: without wanting to upset or offend

ex> At the risk of seeming ungrateful, this is more fruit than I could ever possibly eat.

ex> At the risk of upsetting the bride, I’m going to tell a little story about how we met.

* letdown: a disappointment

ex> As captain, she had to find a way to prevent her team’s loss from becoming a damaging letdown.

* chicken out: to change one’s mind about doing something because one is afraid

ex> Bernice convinced Gary to go skydiving with her, but he chickened out when they got there.

Note> Chickens are often regarded as fearful animals, but this expression may originate from an ancient Roman religious tradition of reading omens before going into battle. It was feared and considered to be an omen that the battle would not go well if a chicken refused to eat grain the evening before.

* hang on for dear life: to hold onto something as tightly as possible to avoid falling

Ex> The subway here is very smooth, but you have to hang on for dear life on some of the buses.

* glutton for punishment: one who willingly performs tasks that others find difficult or unpleasant

ex> You must be a glutton for punishment to want to work full time while trying to earn your degree.

* chill: 편안한, 여유있는

This usage of this word is a contemporary informal expression. In most other contexts, chill is a noun meaning “a sensation of coldness” and a verb meaning “to make something cold.”

ex> She’s very chill, so I don’t think it’ll be a problem as long as you let her know what’s happening. 

PE 11/11 A Quick Printer and a Happy Planet

* there is no need: it is not necessary

ex> There’s no need to worry about paying me back: consider it a gift.

* put into place: to install; incorporate; implement

ex> Once the new passenger turnstiles were put into place, transit revenues increased by almost thirty percent.

* tweak: (v) to adjust slightly; (n) a small adjustment

ex> After it was tweaked, the new stage could be raised and lowered in a few seconds.

Note> Tweak evolved from the Middle English word twick, which meant “to pull sharply.” It only obtained the meaning “to adjust slightly” in the mid-twentieth century.

* don’t spare the horses: to hurry up and do something as quickly as possible

ex> Driver, please take us to Mayfair Hospital, and don’t spare the horses.

Note> A longer version of this expression is, “Home, James, and don’t spare the horses.” It is request given to the driver of a horse-drawn carriage to use a whip on the horses to make them go faster.

* go like stink: to move very quickly

ex> Winnifred’s car is not very interesting to look at, but it goes like stink.

* dawdle: to move at a slow, lazy pace

ex> Please run down to the store to get me some fresh broccoli, and don’t dawdle.

* run off: 인쇄하다, 복사하다

This expression has numerous other meanings, including “to talk too much,” “to flow away from,” “to suddenly leave a place or situation,” and “to force to vacate,.” Also, the noun runoff means “the flow of liquid or material from one place to another.”

ex> We’d better call the publisher and have them run off another ten thousand copies.

PE 11/10 Jeff Koons Interview

* downtime: a period of inactivity or unavailability

ex> My surgeon recommended that I take some downtime to let everything heal.

Note> When downtime was first used in the mid-twentieth century, it referred to periods when large, stationary machinery – including early computers – were unavailable for use. The term was only later applied to people.

* caught up in: deeply involved with

ex> The researchers got caught up in trying to show that a small-scale fusion reaction was possible.

* recession: a period of economic decline

ex> Until the recession of the early 1980’s, it seemed that good jobs were always available.

* trust in oneself: to be confident in one’s feelings, perceptions, and abilities

ex> Terry says his success came from his mother teaching him to trust in himself.

* make connections: to show or perceive how things are related

ex> The detective had the remarkable ability to make connections between separate events.

* a vehicle for: a thing used to express or facilitate something

ex> The politician was accused of using his position as a vehicle for personal gain.

Note> Vehicle is also used to describe transportation machines, like cars or trucks. Its broad definition is “a means of conveying something,” and it came from the same Latin root as the word wagon, which is a wheeled cart for carrying things.

* relative: 상대적인, 비교상의

The noun form of this word is also used to describe a family member, as a synonym for “relation.” A synonym for the adjective form of relative is the phrase “in relation to.”

ex> Relative to how I was a few days ago, I’m doing great, thanks.

PE 11/9 The Benefits of a Monthly Pass

* spring for: to buy or pay for something, often for someone else

ex> If you’ll drive us to the concert, I’ll spring for dinner.

* dive in: to start doing something suddenly and energetically, without hesitating to think

ex> When we saw what they were doing, we all dove in and started pushing on the boulder as hard as we could.

* nothing to sneeze at: too significant to be ignored

ex> They offered me a salary that was nothing to sneeze at, but the commute was too long.

* obligated: compelled by a sense of duty

ex> Under the terms and conditions, you are obligated to buy ten more at the regular price.

* fleece: to get a large amount of money from someone by tricking or overcharging them

ex> Take a close look at the bill to make sure they aren’t trying to fleece us.

Note> The noun fleece refers to a sheep’s coat of wool, and the verb to fleece originally meant to remove that coat by shearing the sheep. It’s easy to see how this verb was later applied to the idea of taking one’s money.

* pattern (something) after: to make something by following an existing example

ex> Many of New York’s older buildings were patterned after European designs.

* mess with: ~을 방해하다, 망치다

This expression is fairly informal. When used in the negative in reference to a person, it can imply that the person is prone to anger or is dangerous, e.g. “Don’t mess with Victor: he has very little patience.”

ex> Let’s lock the classroom door when we go. We don’t want anyone to mess with our masterpiece. 

PE 11/6 Cleaning Up for Mother

* neat freak: one who is excessively concerned with tidiness or cleanliness

ex> My mom used to be such a neat freak, but now she lets her house get quite dirty.

* deceitful: dishonest; attempting to mislead others

ex> The prosecuting attorney tried to show that the defendant had engaged in deceitful behavior.

* flip out: to lose control of one’s emotions; become suddenly angry or upset

ex> My dad flipped out when he found out that I’d spent the money on a snowboard.

Note> Flip out is an abbreviated way to say to flip one’s wig, which has a couple of proposed origins. In one, the term wig was slang for one’s head or one’s state of mind.

* courteous: polite; considerate

ex> The courteous gesture of giving up one’s seat to an elderly person is common throughout the world.

* white glove test: a careful examination for cleanliness

ex> It’s a good idea to keep your work area clean because the supervisor has been known to perform a white glove test.

Note> Although this expression might seem from earlier times when people of both sexes commonly wore white gloves, it actually originated from an American TV ad in the 1950’s.

* at least: not less than; if nothing else

ex> There were at least three hundred people waiting outside, hoping to buy tickets for the concert.

* Is it too much to ask…?: ~이 무리한 요구야?

This expression is a “rhetorical” question – one that is intended to make the person think, and not to provide an answer. This particular expression is used to express frustration that someone or something hasn’t fulfilled a perceived duty.

ex> It might seem old-fashioned, but is it too much to ask for you to hold the door open for me?

PE 11/5 In the Home of the Lemur

* nocturnal: active or happening at night

ex> Your pet hamster might keep you awake at night because hamsters are naturally nocturnal.

Note> The word nocturnal is Latin in origin, and literally means “belonging to the night.” The opposite is diurnal, although this word is not used very often. There’s even an obscure word to describe animals that are active in twilight: crepuscular.

* nod off: to fall asleep briefly and/or at an inappropriate time

ex> Jake nodded off during the lecture and began to snore loudly.

* make an appearance: to attend a gathering or even briefly

ex> She didn’t really want to go to the party, but decided she would make an appearance.

* remain to be seen: to be uncertain; be not yet known

ex> It remains to be seen whether those shrubs can survive the winter.

* eerie: strange in a mysterious or frightening way

ex> Don’t you find it eerie that he always reaches for his phone just before it rings?

Note> The origin of this word is the Middle English word eri, which meant “fearful” or “cowardly.” Over time, the word’s meaning changed to become something that causes fear.

* let one be: to not bother or try to interact with one

ex> When Lauren is in one of her moods, I find it best to just let her be.

ex> When you’re scuba diving amongst marine creatures, it’s important to let them be.

* out and about: (병을 앓고 난 뒤에) 다시 나다니는, 돌아다니는

This expression is more commonly used in British and Canadian English than in American English. In fact, it’s one of the expressions Americans use to make fun of the Canadian accent!

ex> Renata! Is that you? It’s good to see you out and about again. How are you feeling?

PE 11/4 Smaller Portions for Modern Diners

* put someone or something on the map: to bring recognition, respect, or fame to someone or something

ex> Their mixed martial arts classes are what put them on the map, but now they tech traditional kung fu as well.

* pig out: to eat a large amount of food

ex> Exercise isn’t enough to lose weight if you’re still pigging out on fatty foods.

Note> It is actually a common and enduring myth that pigs are greedy. In fact, a pig will never eat more food than it needs – unlike some humans!

* red flag: an indicator of a potential or existing problem.

ex> If someone is spending more and more time alone, that could be a red flag.

* in the cards: likely or certain to happen

ex> She got the feeling that a promotion wasn’t in the cards for her.

Note> The “cards” referred to in this expression are tarot cards (pronounced ta-ro). These were European playing cards from the Middle Ages which were later used to “read” one’s future.

* joint: a place of business (slang)

ex> Can you believe how many burger joints there are around here?

* shift gears: to suddenly change one’s attitude, opinion, or actions

ex> I realize we haven’t finished discussing your salary, but I’d like to shift gears and talk about our company’s new logo.

* epic: 대단한, 인상적인, 영웅적인

The original and correct meaning of this word relates to a traditional long-form poetry genre that describes the deeds and adventures of historical heroes. It later came to be used to describe other large or long works, and has now become a popular slang term meaning “very impressive.”

ex> It was absolutely epic. I’ll notify you when I post all my pictures.

11/4 Mobile Social Networking

Talk about doing social networking on your phone.

I use my cell phone most of the time to do social networking. In fact, the vast majority of people now use their cell phones to do Facebook or Instagram. Because these services have become more mobile-friendly. it's easier to post things with our phones. User patterns have changed because of this trend. I make status updates 24/7 as I always have my phone on me. I leave replies on other people's postings and press the LIKE button if I like a posting. I do these things on the go. It's a great way to kill time when I'm just sitting around not doing anything in particular.

@ Speaking Tips: kill time

시간 때우다

별로 하는 일 없이 시간을 때운다는 말을 할 때 사용하는 영어 표현은 kill time이다. 누군가를 기다리며 시간을 때운다는 의미로 쓰기에 가장 좋은 표현이다.

ex> I watched a movie to kill some time. (나는 시간을 때우기 위해 영화를 한 편 봤다.)

@ It made me crack up.  나 완전히 빵 터졌어.

11/3 Mobile Banking

Talk about mobile banking.

Most people make use of mobile banking these days. It's the easiest way to do banking since you can take care of your business on the move. You first have to download your bank's mobile banking app on your phone. You also have to download a digital certificate onto your phone. And then, you need your passwords and an OTP. An OTP is a small device that generates a new six-digit password every minute. It is short for "one time password." You can check your balance or wire transfer money very easily using mobile banking. I think mobile banking has had a huge impact on how people do banking.

* take care of one's business 일을 처리하다

* on the move 이동하면서

* six-digit password 6자리 비밀번호

* be short for ~의 준말이다

* wire transfer money 계좌 이체를 하다

@ Speaking Tips: wire transfer

계좌 이체를 하다

영어로 계좌 이체를 한다고 할 때 쓰는 표현은 wire transfer이다. 명사로 사용되기도 하고 동사로 활용할 수도 있다.

ex> I'll wire transfer the money to you tomorrow morning. (내일 아침에 너한테 계좌 이체 할게.)

@ It‘s what's called an app card. 소위 앱카드라고 부르는 거야.

11/2 Mobile Messaging

Talk about mobile chatting.

I rarely sent text messages these days. Instead, I use a messaging app called Kakao Talk to chat with other people. It is one of the most-used chatting apps in Korea. There are tons of emojis I can use to express myself. Some emojis are free, but you have to buy most of them. Plus, I can share pictures and video clips on the app. You can also send digital gift vouchers to people. Next, I am in many group chatrooms. Some chatrooms are personal and some are work-related. Group chatrooms can get annoying sometimes if too many messages come up. So, I turn off the alert for most group chatrooms.

* emoji 이모티콘

* digital gift voucher 기프티콘

* turn off the alert 알람을 끄다

@ Speaking Tips: work-related  업무와 연관된

업무와 연관성이 있다는 말을 할 때 사용할 수 있는 표현이 work-related이다. 같은 맥락으로 health-related라고 하면 '건강과 관련된'이라는 말이 된다.

ex> I get a lot of work-related stress. (나는 업무와 관련된 스트레스를 많이 받는다.)

@ I'll message you the directions.  찾아가는 방법 메시지로 보낼게.

10/30 Amateur Baseball League

Talk about Amateur Baseball League in Korea.

With the popularity of baseball in Korea, there are more and more people who actually play baseball as well. There are several amateur baseball leagues and hundreds of teams. Teams have their own team names ad logos. They have theirs uniforms, gloves, bats, and other baseball equipment. These amateur players come from all walks of life. Most of the games they play are recreational, but some players are pretty serious about their games. I used to be on a team myself several years ago. Once the season kicked off, we would have games every other weekend. I developed a strong bond with my teammates and we still keep in touch.

* come from all walks of life 사회 각계 각층에서 모이다

* be on a team 팀에 속해 있다

@ Speaking Tips: from all walks of life

각계 각층의

사회의 각계 각층이라고 할 때 사용하는 영어 표현이 바로 (from) all walks of life이다.

ex> There were people from all walks of life there. (거기에 각계 각층의 사람들이 있었어.)

@ What's your uniform number?  네 등 번호가 뭐니?

EE 11/5

<walking tour; reserve; each; free>

1. impressive: 인상적인, 멋진

- Wow, this place is impressive.

2. anytime between A and B (from A to B)

- You can call me anytime between 4 and 5.

- You can have breakfast anytime between 7:30 AND 10 o’clock.

3. coupon for sth (쿠펀, 키우펀)

- Do you have any coupons for laundry detergent?

- These are coupons for free welcome drinks.

Welcome to the Gallery hostel.

Thanks. Wow, this place is impressive.

Thank you. Is this your first time to Portugal?

Yes, it is. When is breakfast?

You can have breakfast anytime between 7:30 and 10 o’clock.

Okay. Is there free walking tour every day?

You can go with the guide at 10:30

We’d like to reserve dinner for this evening.

All right. The dinner at our hostel is 10 euros each and these are coupons for free welcome drinks.

EE 11/4

<get old; admit; pick up; carry>

1. I sometimes feel like ~ S+V

- I sometimes feel like I’m not reading enough.

- I sometimes feel like I’m getting old.

2. weigh too much

- This bag weighs too much.

- I can’t wear something that weighs too much.

3. as few things as possible

- Please bring as few things as possible.

- I often go out with as few things as possible in my pockets.

Do you know what I sometimes feel like I’m getting old.

Me too. But I think we have to admit that we’re getting old.

Getting old isn’t all bad.

When I buy clothes I pick them up to see how heavy they are.

I totally understand you. I can’t wear something that weighs too much.

It’s the same for bags. I prefer carrying light ones.

Right. I often go out with as few things as possible in my pockets.

* (Do) you know what: 있잖아요

EE 11/3

<small talk; entertaining; build; controversial>

1. Please remember that ~

- Please remember that you are a student.

- Please remember that you are the only one who can solve this problem.

- Please remember that small talk isn’t just about entertaining.

2. meaningful: 의미 있는

- It was such a meaningful moment.

- It’s the first step to building meaningful relationships, right?

3. focus on: ~에 집중하다

- Focus on what I’m saying.

- Focus on the other person and less on yourself.

Please remember that small talk isn’t just about entertaining.

It’s the first step to building meaningful relationships, right?

Yes, small talk breaks the ice and puts people at ease.

Focus on the other person and less on yourself and avoid controversial issues.

Like politics and religion?

That’s right. It’s also not good to ask very personal questions.

* put one at (one’s) ease: to cause someone to relax or feel welcome

ex> She usually tells a little joke to put you at your ease.

ex> Please do something to put me at ease.