PE 11/24 A Tower with a Difference

Jason, I want to reward you for putting up with the activities today that were geared toward your younger siblings and your Mom.

* put up with: to endure; accept a burden

* geared toward: to be made suitable for a specific group

ex> The aquarium’s exhibits are geared toward children and adolescents.

I had a feeling you had something up your sleeve after we dropped them off at the hotel.

* have something up one’s sleeve: to have a secret plan or idea

ex> My birthdays’ coming, and I think Raoul has something up his sleeve.

* drop (someone/something) off: to leave someone or something at a destination

ex> I have to drop off these books at the library.

You see that tall tower ahead? That’s Sky Tower, where you can get a bird’s-eye view of all of Auckland.

* bird’s-eye view: a view from above; a brief overview

ex> You can get a bird’s-eye view of the whole city from the tower.

An observation tower? I’m not complaining Dad, but that’s not exactly going to set the world on fire, you know?

* set the world on fire: to do something remarkable that earns fame

ex> This new video game has set the world on fire.

ex> It won’t set the world on fire, but it’s a very good first novel.

@ Now you’re talking!  바로 그거예요.

That’s better! /That’s more like it! /That’s what I’m talking about!

PE 11/23 The Numbers are Wrong

* look (something) over: to examine something

ex> Please look over this report and tell me what you think.

This is the third substantial error in their favor, so I’m beginning to wonder if they might have ulterior motives.

* in one’s favor: to one’s benefit or advantage

ex> It says the bank has made an error in my favor.

* ulterior motive: a hidden reason

ex> He might have some ulterior motives.

ex> Nancy has ulterior motives for being so friendly with her supervisor.

Note> The definition of ulterior refers to something intentionally hidden, not revealed or below the surface. The word is almost always used with “motive.”

I’m sure it’s just a slip-up. Maybe their accountant just transposed a couple of digits.

* slip-up / slipup: a careless mistake

ex> Be sure that’s sugar and not salt: you don’t want to make a slip-up.

I can see why you suspected that someone might have been trying to line their pockets.

* line one’s pockets: to gain money, especially by dishonest means

ex> Back then, some officials would line their pockets with extra fees and taxes.

* straight shooter: an honest, direct, straightforward person

ex> That candidate seems like a real straight shooter.

ex> My mechanic is a straight shooter: If he can’t fix something, he tells me.

@ Your message said you found another discrepancy in that invoice.  당신 메시지에 그 청구서에서 또 금액 불일치를 발견했다고 쓰여 있었어요.

error /inconsistency /miscalculation

PE 11/22 Emir Kamenica - Shepherd University Commencement Speech

You can decide to cultivate a habit of transforming the seemingly mundane into the realistically fantastical that it is: as light hits those leaves right there, little tiny bursts of energy give the tree momentary strength to gobble up the carbon from the CO2 around it.

* cultivate: to acquire, improve, or develop something; grow plants or crops

ex> Fig trees are cultivated for their tasty fruit.

* mundane [mʌn|deɪn]: dull; ordinary; related to day-to-day life

ex> Listening to music makes mundane tasks more enjoyable.

* gobble (something) up: to consume quickly

ex> Robin must have liked the stew, because he gobbled it up.

The stolen carbon is then incorporated into the tree. Trees, as it turns out, grow out of the air, not out of the ground! That is a beautiful thing to contemplate. And getting the special glasses that allow me to look at the world this way, well for me, that is a really good reason that I went to college. Perhaps it can be for you as well. But also remember that you can always change that.

* incorporate: to include something in something else

ex> This building incorporates a wide range of styles.

* as it turns out: according to evidence; contrary to expectation or belief

ex> As it turns out, we won’t have enough chairs for everyone after all.

ex> Some types of exercise could actually be bad for the heart, as it turns out.

* contemplate: to think deeply about something; consider

ex> William contemplated a degree in criminology, but became a doctor instead.

@ Little tiny bursts of energy give the tree momentary strength.  미세한 에너지가 뿜어져 나와 나무에게 찰나의 힘을 준다.

Teeny little ~ /Itsy-bitsy ~ /Pint-sized ~

GRADUATION SPEECH TRANSCRIPT by Emir Kamenica

PE 11/21 Helping Dad Enjoy Concerts Again

She’s right. It’s just too hard to get around since I had my surgery. It doesn’t help that we tend to hit the sack at nine o’clock these days.

* get around: to be mobile; move from place to place

ex> My mom is using one of those electric scooters to get around.

ex> If you live within the city, public transit is the best way to get around.

* hit the sack: to go to bed

ex> We make our kids hit the sack by 9 o’clock.

* in person: while physically present (not by electronic means)

ex> There are some things I prefer to discuss in person, not via text.

That’s nice of you, but I can never get all this newfangled online stuff to work.

It’s not rocket science, dad. I can make it as easy as turning on your TV.

* newfangled: modern and complicated

ex> There are too many buttons on this newfangled microwave!

* rocket science: something that is difficult to learn or understand

ex> It’s not rocket science: it’s just a navigation app.

Easy for you, maybe. Remember how that new shaver you got me threw me for a loop? You’re dealing with the technically impaired here, I’m afraid.

* throw one for a loop: to surprise or confuse one

ex> There’s a question on my tax return that’s throwing me for a loop.

ex> It threw me for a loop when they said they’d need my birth certificate.

@ Mom says you’ve been bummed about not being able to go to concerts.  올해는 연주회에 못 가셔서 많이 섭섭해 하신다면서요.

gloomy ~ /despondent ~ /down in the dumps ~

PE 11/18 Bob Goes to Yoga

You’re home! So, how was your first yoga class? Did you ace it?

* ace something: to win or succeed at something flawlessly and easily

ex> Our daughter aced her driving test.

It took every ounce of concentration I had just to keep up with the rest of the class.

* take every ounce of something: to require all of one’s strength, ability, concentration, etc.

ex> It took every ounce of patience not to complain to our noisy neighbor.

* keep up with: to stay at or near the desired level or position

ex> I was barely able to keep up with the other swimmers.

Did you have to run around with that round thing under your arm? That'd be tricky.

* tricky: requiring skill or caution; challenging

ex> It was very tricky to get everything back into the drawer.

Did the instructor go easy on you? You did tell her it was your first class, didn’t you?

* go easy on one: to be merciful or tolerant towards one

ex> I was speeding, but the policeman went easy on me.

ex> Even if this is your first time at a boot camp, we won’t go easy on you.

Don’t be discouraged, dear. Once you dig in your heels and learn the poses, you’ll enjoy it much more.

* dig in one’s heels: to ignore pressure to give in; be determined

ex> It started to rain, but we dug in our heels and finished the stone wall.

@ Hardly.  전혀

Not at all. /Scarcely. /By no means.

PE 11/17 A Magical Birthday Surprise

Okay. Because it’s your birthday, I’m going to have to blindfold you now for a special surprise.

What? In the midst of all this beautiful scenery? This had better be worth it!

* in the midst of: in the middle of; within; during

ex> I can see one black flamingo in the midst of all the white ones.

I hope so, too. There we go. Okay, driver, now we can go past those signs. Just pull over at that entrance. Perfect. We’ll get out here.

* There we go. : The action has been completed successfully.

ex> There we go. That’s the last screw, so the table is finished.

So, now may I take this blindfold off? What?!? Hobbiton?!? Really:!? I’m speechless! This is incredible! How did you…?

* speechless: unable to speak due to surprise, anger, etc.

ex> Lorne was speechless when he saw what was in the envelope.

I know how swept up you were in the Lord of the Rings series, so I found a guide who was also a dyed-in-the-wool fan to take us on a private tour through the Shire. I have to admit it’s been pretty hard not to let the cat out of the bag. So - was the blindfold worth it?

* swept up: to become fully involved beyond one’s control

ex> The young couple was soon swept up in the music and began to dance.

* dyed-in-the-wool: unlikely to change; deeply ingrained

ex> Zach has been a dyed-in-the-wool Dodgers fan his whole life.

ex> Are you a dyed-in-the-wool political party follower, or do you decide case.

* let the cat out of the bag: to reveal a secret

ex> Don’t let the cat out of the bag: I want this gift to be a surprise.

@ This is off the charts, Derek!  비교도 안 되게 끝내줘, 대박!

~ exceptional /~ extraordinary /~ mind-blowing