PE 8/7 National Parks of North America: Yellowstone

We’re almost there, Sam. And when we walk into the next clearing, you won’t believe your eyes. Just a few more meters…
* not believe one’s eyes: to find it hard to accept something despite its presence

ex> She couldn’t believe her eyes when her long lost brother walked through the door.

Through word of mouth among my hiker friends. John and Kate came to Yellowstone Park last summer and they sent me the GPS coordinates.

* word of mouth: the spread of information from person to person

ex> Through word of mouth, the band became the most popular group of the year.

Note> In the business world, “word-of-mouth marketing” is a highly esteemed way of advertising.

You don’t want to get too close to bison. They may look like shaggy cows, but they can be really aggressive if they feel threatened.

I’ll keep that in mind, but I think my telephoto lens will do the trick. But I might want to walk over to the opposite side of the pond just for better lighting.

* do the trick: to have a solution to a simple problem

ex> Just push the shift and command keys at the same time. That should do the trick.

Don’t push your luck, Sam. I don’t have cell phone coverage way out here, so we won’t be able to call in the Medivac helicopter to get you out when those buffaloes are done with you.

* push one’s luck: to take unnecessary chances; ask for too much

ex> I already said you could have a week off for vacation, so don’t push your luck asking for two weeks.

Point taken. I’ll just go up the hill behind us for a different perspective.

* point taken: an acknowledgement that someone has made a valid argument for something

ex> There are a lot of speed cameras in this area. - Point taken. I’ll slow down.

PE 8/6 Your Watermelons Are Just Too Expensive!

I think we have room for about 40 of them. And maybe I can make a stand out front to entice people to make an impulse buy on such a hot day.

* impulse buy: a purchase made based on emotion

ex> The rich lady was known to purchase diamonds as an impulse buy.

Note> An “impulse” is a sudden urge or desire to act. (similar to “instinct”)

* stand: 좌판

Great! I’ll pick out the best ones for you and stack them wherever you want them. Who can resist sweet, juicy watermelons, right?

* stack: 쌓다

* resist: 거부하다, 참다

Stop beating around the bush, Chris. Just give me the bad news.

* beat around the bush: to avoid the point of the conversation

ex> Please don’t beat around the bush, doctor, Is my condition serious?

Wow! That’s a little steep. You know, if I don’t sell them all before they go bad, I’ll have to literally eat my losses.

* steep: expensive

ex> The cost of education may seem very steep, but the cost of ignorance is much steeper.

Since you’re my favorite customer, I’ll give you 25 cents off. Does that work for you?

* Does that work for you?: an ending phrase for a negotiation or business arrangement

ex> I can give you $50 for the whole collection. Does that work for you?

It’s a deal! But I’m only going to take 30 melons off your hands. Take it or leave it.

* take something off someone’s hands: to relieve someone of something as a favor to them

ex> I can’t afford to take more than two of the paintings off your hands.

7/31 Talk about a time when you dozed off.

* be jam packed: 몹시 붐비다

* droop: 아래로 쳐지다, 축 늘어지다

* within a matter of minutes: 불과 몇 분 만에

* take a short nap: 낮잠을 자다

* make a stop: 들르다

1. get enough sleep: 잠을 충분히 자다

ex> I felt much better after getting enough sleep.

2. doze off / nod off: 졸다

ex> I was dozing off during the entire movie.

ex> Half of the people were nodding off.

3. fall asleep: 잠이 들다

ex> I couldn’t fall asleep, so I turned on the TV.

4. miss one’s stop: 정거장을 놓치다

ex> Be careful not to miss your stop.

5. feel sleepy: 졸리다

ex> I feel sleepy especially after lunch.

@ I need to catch up on some sleep.  잠을 좀 보충해야 해.

<HOMEWORK>

1. I don’t get enough sleep these days.

2. I was dozing off on the sofa.

3. I fell asleep while talking on the phone.

4. I always feel sleepy in the afternoon hours.

@ Related Topics>> Doze off (2010.12.11), Dozing off while driving (2011.8.10)

7/30 Tell us about smartphone applications.

* get much easier: 훨씬 더 쉬워지다

* on the move: 이동 중에

1. tons of: 셀 수 없이 많은 = a whole bunch of

There were tons of people at the wine fair.

2. take the place of: ~을 대신하다

ex> Cell phones are taking the place of computers.

3. do social networking: SNS를 하다

ex> How much time do you spend doing social networking a day?

4. give someone access to: ~가 ..에 접근하게 하다

ex> Wi-fi gives us access to the Internet in the office.

5. come in handy: 도움이 되다, 쓸모가 있다.

ex> This application comes in handy when you edit photos.

@ I have to reinstall that app. 그 앱 다시 설치해야 해.

<HOMEWORK>

1. There were tons of people on the street.

2. Computers can’t take the place of humans.

3. I spend much time doing social networking.

4. The experience came in handy later on.

PE 8/5 Randy Pausch’s Speech: The Last Lecture –Part 1

So, you know, in case there’s anybody who wandered in and doesn't know the back story, my dad always taught me that when there’s an elephant in the room, introduce them. If you look at my CAT scan, there are approximately 10 tumors in my liver, and the doctors told me 3-6 months of good healthy left. That was a month ago, so you can do the math.

* elephant in the room: an obvious thing that people are reluctant to acknowledge

ex> During the budget meeting, the elephant in the room was how to cut spending on social services.

Note> It’s as if there is a giant elephant in the room and everyone is just ignoring it despite how big and apparent it is.

* do the math: to figure something out based on the information given

ex> Do the math: we need to be in Reno in 8 hours, but our flight won’t get there for 16 hours.

I have some of the best doctors in the world. So that is what it is. We can’t change it, and we just have to decide how we’re going to respond to that. We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.

* the cards one is dealt: one’s current circumstances

ex> If you don’t like the cards you were dealt, you have to work hard to change things.

If I don’t seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you. And I assure you I am not in denial. It’s not like I’m not aware of what’s going on.

* in denial: refusing to accept or acknowledge a fact

ex> I was in denial for a long time, but eventually accepted that my dog wasn't coming back.

We bought a lovely house in Virginia, and we’re doing that because that’s a better place for the family to be, down the road. And the other thing is, I am in phenomenally good health right now. I mean it’s the greatest thing of cognitive dissonance you will ever see – is the fact that I am in really good shape.

* down the road: further in the future

ex> Tom had plans to live in Europe a little further down the road.

PE 8/4 The City Life Is NOT for Me!

But that means you’ll have to drive an extra hour each morning to get to work. That will really wear on you.

Wait, didn’t I tell you that the boss approved of me telecommuniting? I only have to come into the office every other Monday! It’s been in the works for a while.

* in the works: in progress; being worked on

ex> The design of the new skyscraper has been in the works for more than a year.

That’s amazing! But aren’t you going to miss life in the city? It’s going to be so monotonous living out there with… the chickens?

* monotonous: the same thing every day

ex> I think it would be monotonous to go to the same job every day for 40 years.

As a matter of fact, I’m not. I’m tired of the city.

* as a matter of fact: actually

ex> As a matter of fact, this is the same road I take to drive to my parents’ house.

But what about wing night with the gang? And going to the movies on Sunday afternoons with me and my sister?

* wing night: 윙나이트 (닭 날개를 먹는 저녁)

Now you guys can come out to my place and spend a weekend winding down after the stress of the city!

* wind down: to relax; relieve oneself of stress

ex> After a long flight, I like to wind down by taking a swim in the hotel pool.

Note> This expression also means to draw gradually toward an end.

ex> The dinner party is starting to wind down.

I suppose the fresh air and total relaxation will be a nice antidote to city life.

* antidote to: a healthy alternative to something

ex> Sometimes exercise is the only antidote to feeling depressed.

Note> Antidote vs. anecdote – some people get confused with these two words. Remember, anecdote is a funny little story.

PE 8/1 Choosing Between a Dog and a Cat

Anthony! You know I’m a cat person. I like dogs, but I don’t want all that added responsibility of walking it twice a day and giving it a bath every week.

* cat person: someone who prefers to dogs

ex> Although Judy considered herself a cat person, she really was an all-around animal lover.

You only give a cat a bath if you want to be ripped to shreds. They don’t like water.

* rip something to shreds: tear something into small pieces

ex> The lions ripped the zebra to shreds before they ate it.

… Start fights with other dogs, and chew everything up, and roll around in the dirt. I’m not backing down, Anthony.

* back down: to change one’s opinion or decision because of pressure from someone else

ex> Never back down from your dream just because others think you can’t do it.

I guess we’re at an impasse, then Let’s just call it off. I really can’t imagine enjoying having a cat. They’re so aloof and temperamental, and frankly, I’m a little scared of them.

* at an impasse [^|ɪmpӕs]: having no possible compromise

= at a dead-end; at a stalemate; in a predicament

ex> We were at an impasse over which route to take, so we flipped a coin to decide.

* call off: to cancel a plan

ex> I think we should call off our trip if it snows tonight.