Lesson 9 - At the apartment

illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories 2 » Lesson 9 - At the apartment

Word List

as usual

in the normal way

→
As usual, he was talking about himself.
He is going to be late as usual.
As usual, I brushed my teeth right after I ate dinner.
A: Where is Matt?
B: He's playing computer games as usual.
back up

move backwards

→
Back up!
My father had to back up because the car in front of him broke down.
Could you please back up? You are standing too close.
A: I would like to get the trees in the photo, too.
B: OK. I'll just back up a little.
be cut out for

have the correct qualities for

→
I don't think he's cut out for swimming!
I don't know if I'm cut out for graduate school.
Nobody thought she was cut out for the army, but she became an officer.
A: I didn't know that Dave is afraid of flying.
B: Yeah, I don't think he's cut out to be a pilot.
catch on

realize; understand

→
Don't worry. You'll catch on soon!
It took him a few minutes to catch on to the joke.
Don't worry. Just follow me and you'll catch on in no time.
A: Wow. You learned how to juggle in one day?
B: Yes. I caught on to it quickly.
for ages

for a long time

→
He hasn't cut his beard for ages.
We haven't visited our grandparents for ages.
That actor hasn't made a movie for ages.
A: How's your cat?
B: I don't know. I haven't see it for ages.
hand over

give to another

→
Hand over the food!
This is robbery! Hand over all of your money!
The old man decided to hand over his business to his sons.
A: Alright! Hand over my keys!
B: don't have them!
serve one right

be the correct punishment for one

→
It serves you right!
It would serve him right if she never spoke to him again.
Her talk show was cancelled. It serves her right for being so rude to her guests.
A: Billy had to do extra homework because he came late to class.
B: Serves him right!
take apart

separate something into pieces

→
He had to take apart the robot.
I took apart the fan and put in a new motor.
He takes apart cars and sells the engines.
A: Why did you take apart the computer?
B: I was looking for a file.
turn down

decline; say 'no'

→
She always turned him down.
She asked him to go out with her, but he turned her down.
I invited her to join us, but she turned down my invitation.
A: I tried to join the band but they turned me down.
B: Maybe you should learn how to sing first.
work out

exercise doing aerobics or weight lifting

→
He decided it was finally time to start working out.
How often do you work out each week?
I don't really like to work out, but I do like to play tennis and basketball.
A: Do you work out?
B: Yes. I run to the donut shop every morning.

Practice

Choose the best answer.

After she ________, he found someone else to go with him.
- a. served him right
- b. was cut out for
- c. turned him down
Be careful when you ________. You might hit something.
- a. catch on
- b. as usual
- c. back up
Do you think he ________ that job in the CIA?
- a. for ages
- b. is cut out for
- c. catches on
She failed the test. It ________ for trying to look at my answers.
- a. is cut out for
- b. hands over
- c. serves her right
The gym where I ________ has great equipment.
- a. for ages
- b. workout
- c. hand over
He was embarrassed when he ________ to what they were talking about.
- a. caught on
- b. turned down
- c. took apart
The old building was empty ________ until a computer company moved into it.
- a. turn down
- b. catch on
- c. for ages
She ________ the radio, but could not fix it again.
- a. handed over
- b. backed up
- c. took apart
The police officer demanded that the robber slowly ________ his gun.
- a. took apart
- b. hand over
- c. work out
The morning traffic was bad ________.
- a. as usual
- b. backup
- c. hand over

Answer Key

Choose the best answer.

c
c
b
c
b
a
c
c
b
a

Answer Key

Dialog

Fill in the blanks.

as usual
hand it over
catch on
turned me down
for ages
working out

At the apartment:

Pete: Hey Sam! Did you borrow my yellow tie?

Sam: Oh yeah. I've got it.

Pete: ! I've got a hot date tonight.

Sam: Really? With whom?

Pete: Carol Morgan.

Sam: You're going out with Carol? I haven't seen her . How is she?

Pete: She is great! She has been and looks better now than ever.

Sam: Wow! She looked incredible before. How did you get her to go out with you?

Pete: I asked her. OK, I had to ask her a few times. She at first, but I kept asking.

Sam: , your annoying nature wins in the end.

Pete: I think you're starting to . Always remember, "If at first you don't succeed, try again."

Read the following story

Amy asked her husband to go shopping with her. As usual, her husband was too busy watching television to go with her. Amy tried to persuade her husband. She told him, "Come with me, honey. We haven't been shopping together for ages. I want you to take a look at some summer dresses with me. You can help me pick out the best one."

Her husband turned her down, saying, "You always want to check every store, Amy. I'm just not cut out for all that walking around."

"Think of it as your chance to work out," Amy suggested. "You'll be getting your exercise for the day."

But her husband wasn't listening. He was concentrating on the football game on television. Amy was so upset that she wanted to take apart the TV and flush each piece down the toilet! She set out for the shopping mall alone. But as she was backing up the car in the driveway, she had an idea. She stopped the car and went back in the house. She told her husband, "I'm sorry for bothering you, honey. Have fun watching the game." Then she gave him a kiss and left.

At the mall, she found hundreds of dresses for sale and took her time looking through them all. She picked out two nice ones and went to pay for them. As she was handing over her credit card to the cashier, the remote control for her television fell out of her purse.

"My husband is home watching television," Amy explained to the confused cashier. "When he catches on that I stole the remote control, he'll go crazy! But it serves him right for not coming with me."

Favorite Books

Speak English Like an American

If you already speak some English and now would like to speak more like a native, “Speak English Like an American” will help you. One of the keys to speaking like a native is the ability to use and understand casual expressions, or idioms. American English is full of idioms. Speak English Like an American will help you understand and use idioms better. It contains over 300 of today's most common idioms.

Speak Business English Like an American

Speak Business English Like An American covers over 350 idioms and expressions you're likely to encounter in today's business world. Familiarize yourself with all of them.

Speak English Around Town

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S.

English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. is your very own ... well, guide, to... yes, American language and culture . You’ll find tons (a lot!) of vocabulary, all of it used in real-life ways.

illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories 1

The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.

Easy American Idioms

Do you want your English to sound natural and fluent? Idiomatic expressions are essential to natural sounding English, but they can be challenging to remember, and even harder to use in conversation. This simple and straightforward program can help you master hundreds of useful and common idiomatic expressions. Best of all, you don't need a book, so you can listen anywhere and anytime it's convenient. It's a piece of cake!

Table of Contents