PE 12/20 General Douglas MacArthur – Farewell Address to Congress

The tragedy of Korea is further heightened by the fact that its military action is confined to its territorial limits.

* heighten: to make something greater in quantity, intensity, degree, etc

ex> Elaine had a heightened awareness that something was wrong.

Of the nations of the world, Korea alone, up to now, is the sole one which has risked its all against communism.

* up to now: until the present time

ex> Up to now, this store has only ever carried one brand of peanut butter.

The magnificence of the courage and fortitude of the Korean people defies description.

* fortitude: the mental strength to endure pain or difficulty

ex> It took great fortitude for the survivors to search for a new homeland.

* defy description: to be too extreme to be described with words

ex> The feats he performs with flaming swords defy description.

ex> The sunsets here defy description – their colors are unbelievable.

They have met all tests there, and I can report to you without reservation that they are splendid in every way.

* reservation: doubt; uncertainty

ex> I can recommend her as a salesperson without any reservations.

Its growing bloodshed has caused me the deepest anguish and anxiety. Those gallant men will remain often in my thoughts and in my prayers always.

* gallant: brave; courageous

ex> My gallant dog always barks when someone enters our yard.

PE 12/19 Time for a Repair

Good morning. I’d like to see about getting this old watch repaired.

= look into; enquire about; find out about

My goodness! That is an old one, isn’t it? I should tell you that it’s usually not cost-effective to repair watches as old as this one.

* cost-effective: economically worthwhile

ex> What’s the most cost-effective way to heat a large apartment?

I had a feeling that might be the situation, but this is a family heirloom with great sentimental value. It was my grandfather’s.

* heirloom: a valuable item that has been in a family for many years

ex> The bride’s dress was an heirloom worn by her mother and grandmother.

* sentimental value: an item’s worth to someone due to memories, emotions, nostalgia, etc

ex> I know this old scarf is worn out, but it has sentimental value for me.

It stops cold less than an hour after it’s wound.

* stop cold: to stop completely and suddenly

ex> Clarence stopped cold when he saw how late it was.

I see. Well, I can open it up and get a handle on what’s causing the problem, then I can provide you with an estimate of the cost and how long it will take to fix.

* get a handle on something: to understand something, especially to allow progress or to cope with it

ex> Researchers are trying to get a handle on why the reactor failed.

That would be great. Once we know that, I guess we can take it from there.

* take it from there: to proceed from that position; continue the actions of another

ex> If you will clean the floors, I can take it from there.

PE 12/16 Friday Night with Dad

I figure we can live a little while Mom is out painting the town red with her girlfriends. What kind of soda would you like, Caroline?

* live a little: to do enjoyable things; be carefree

ex> He’d enjoy his retirement more if he’d just live a little.

ex> We like to live a little when we travel.

* paint the town red[하1] : to go out and celebrate in an uncontrolled way

ex> My roommate was out painting the town red last night.

I’m sure she wouldn’t want us to take it personally. She just needs a change of scenery sometimes.

* take it personally: to feel that one is the cause or target of another’s actions; be offended

ex> There are some criticisms in your review, but please don’t take it personally.

* change of scenery: different surroundings; a change in one’s routine or situation

ex> After two months of doing inventory, the team needed a change of scenery.

It’s okay as a treat every now and then, but this isn’t exactly healthy eating. Maybe I should go make some carrot sticks…

* every now and then: occasionally

ex> My roommate Rachel gets grumpy every now and then.

Well, we don’t have to turn in just yet – it’s Friday! Let’s start the movie again.

* turn in: to go to bed

ex> They prepared for their morning departure, then turned in early.

---

 [하1]To “paint the town red” often means to celebrate flamboyantly and publicly, especially to go on a wild spree, usually involving multiple bars, restaurants and clubs. 

PE 12/15 Ready for Buenos Aires

I’m still a little annoyed you pulled the wool over my eyes about how long we’ll be staying in Buenos Aires. You know big cities aren’t up my alley[하1] .

* up one’s alley: suited to one’s tastes

ex> Polka music isn’t up my alley, but my dad loves it.

Come on. At less than three million people, Buenos Aires isn’t exactly gargantuan, despite being known as “the Paris of South America.”

* gargantuan: extremely large

ex> Arnold always has a gargantuan appetite when he wakes up.

Okay, professor. I’ll let you split hairs on population statistics if you tell me what we’re going to do there.

* split hairs: to argue about unimportant details

ex> If you want to split hairs, I’m actually eighteen and a half, not nineteen.

Well, we’ve been living on the cheap for weeks, so I thought we’d have a taste of the high life for a change.

* on the cheap: economically (usually excessively)

ex> The roof was replaced on the cheap, and now it’s leaking.

* high life: extravagant or lavish living

ex> The couple lived the high life until their money ran out.

You’re as much a music and architecture buff as I am, so we could spend weeks there without ever getting bored. You’ll see.

* buff: one who is knowledgeable about and interested in a subject; an enthusiast

ex> Gord used to be overweight, but now he’s a fitness buff.

---

 [하1]Also “right down one’s alley.” These idiom use “alley” in the sense of “one’s own province,” a usage dating from the early 1600s.

PE 12/14 A Partial Success

You said you’ve got the final figures from the exhibit? How did it shake out?

* shake out: to eventually turn out to be; result

ex> She’s been planning this event for months, so I’m curious to see how it shake out.

ex> We’ll have to wait and see how the new ad campaign shakes out.

The bad news is that attendance fell short of expectations. After all the expenses are taken into account[하1] , we barely broke even.

* fall short: to fail to reach an expected level

ex> Our sales fell short of our target, but it was still a good month.

* break even[하2] : to have no profit but no loss

ex> They didn’t start breaking even until 18 months after they started.

But there’s no question that the show raised the gallery’s profile. Look at all the positive comments and reviews we got.

* raise one’s profile: to improve one’s fame, credibility, etc.

ex> The tournament win raised his profile in the chess community.

Maybe we could characterize the show as a loss leader – something that will bring indirect monetary benefits.

* loss leader[하3] : an item which is sold at a loss to attract customers

ex> Some stores advertise cheap TVs as a loss leader to gain more traffic.

That’s a clever spin. We’d have to be able to make a convincing case for that, though.

* spin: a way of presenting specific information, usually by making it more interesting or exciting

ex> Once Mark puts his spin on the story, it’ll be hard to know what really happened.

---

 [하1]considered; allowed for; taken into consideration

 [하2]In business, the “break-even point”(BEP) is the point at which cost or expenses and revenue are equal: there is no net loss or gain.

 [하3]미끼상품, A classic example of this is that of razor blades. Companies give their razor units away for free, knowing that customers have to buy their replacement blades, which is where the company makes its profit.

PE 12/13 William Faulkner – Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

I decline to accept the end of man. It is easy enough to say that man is immortal because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged [하1] and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny [하2] inexhaustible voice, still talking.

* fade: to slowly lose intensity

ex> Many of my parents’ old color photographs have faded.

I refuse to accept this I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.

* merely: only; just

ex> The police were amazed that the troublemaker was merely a child.

* prevail: to defeat an opponent; continue to exist through endurance, superiority, etc.

ex> Benny won the first game, but Foster prevailed for the next three.

The poet’s, the writer’s, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past.

* compassion: a desire to relieve the distress of others

ex> Anne’s compassion for animals has saved hundreds of innocent lives.

* lift one’s heart: to invoke a sense of joyous openness; feel elation

ex> It lifts my heart to see our son and his cousins playing together.

The poet’s voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.

* pillar: something or someone that provides support; a vertical support in a structure

ex> My brother is a pillar in his community.

ex> Many of the ancient stone pillars lay shattered on the ground.

---

 [하1]쨍그랑 하는 소리를 내다

Bells were clanging in the tower.

The trams clanged their way along the streets.

 [하2][^|pju:ni] 작고 연약한 (paltry; feeble; diminutive)

The lamb was a puny little thing.

PE 12/12 Relief on the Road

I’m so glad you offered to come along on this road trip for moral support, Kate.

* moral support: helping one emotionally with encouragement, love, etc.

ex> I accompanied my sister to her medical appointment for moral support.

You have nothing to worry about, Michelle. Once they hear you play, you’ll be in like Flynn.

* in like Flynn: quickly accepted or successful

ex> I told the other team members I had a van, and I was in like Flynn.

Thanks for saying that, but you can never really be certain about what they’re looking for. Sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw.

* luck of the draw: the result of chance; something one cannot control

ex> I was born with bad eyesight, but I guess that’s the luck of the draw.

Speaking of luck, that sign says there’s a rest area comping up. What a lifesaver!

* lifesaver: something or someone that saves one from difficulty or danger.

ex> Fiona was a lifesaver, showing up just when I really needed help.

No kidding! I could use a little break to freshen up. Should we get something to eat?

* freshen up: to clean oneself or change clothes in order to feel better

ex> She said she’d need about 30 minutes to freshen up before dinner.

That would be a godsend. I didn’t have much for breakfast today.

* godsend: something or someone that provides great and/or unexpected relief

ex> Finding that cash in the bottom of my purse was a godsend.