More Speak English Like an American » Lesson 23: Mark Pops the Question

Word List
  • (to) have butterflies in one's stomach
    to feel nervous
    →

    Example: Before the job interview, Marianna had butterflies in her stomach.

  • (to) cut a deal
    to make an agreement (especially in business or politics)
    →

    Example: AOL cut a deal with Hewlett-Packard to have its name on the welcome screen of all new Hewlett-Packard computers.

  • kiss of death
    an action that causes failure or ruin
    →

    Example: When the job candidate asked about the salary during her first interview, it was the kiss of death.

  • (to) hit the roof
    to get very angry; to lose one's temper
    →

    Example: When Jack found out that one of his employees was stealing from the company, he hit the roof.

  • on the company's dime
    when the company is paying
    →

    Example: Please tell Mona to stop making personal phone calls on the company's dime.

  • (to) dwell on the past
    to focus too much on the past
    →

    Example: Doug never talks about his first marriage. He doesn't like to dwell on the past.

  • (to) play the field
    to date many people, usually while one is single
    →

    Example: "I saw Tina with a cute guy last night. Does she have a new boyfriend?" - "Nothing serious. She's just playing the field."

  • those days are over
    that's the past; things are different now
    →

    Example: When Tim was single, he hung out at bars on the weekends. Now that he's married, those days are over.

  • (to) let bygones be bygones
    to forgive and forget what happened in the past
    →

    Example: I'm no longer angry at you for forgetting to show up for dinner last weekend. We can let bygones be bygones.
    Note: A "bygone" is an event that has already happened, or gone by.

  • (to) pop the question
    to propose marriage
    →

    Example: Do you think Dan will pop the question when he and Stephanie are on vacation in the Caribbean?

Practice The Idioms

Fill in the blank with the missing word:

  1. Joe is going to present his report in front of 200 people. He has butterflies in his _____.
    • a) brain
    • b) stomach
    • c) body
  2. Did you hear? Sam _____ the question. We're getting married!
    • a) tossed
    • b) popped
    • c) dropped
  3. Tim is tired of playing the _____. He's ready to get married.
    • a) field
    • b) ground
    • c) pasture
  4. After the conference in San Francisco, Angela spent the weekend in California on the company _____.
    • a) nickel
    • b) dollar
    • c) dime
  5. My boss hit the _____ when he found out the client was leaving us for a competitor.
    • a) desk
    • b) top
    • c) roof
  6. Jen liked Greg at the beginning of the death. But when he started talking about his ex-wives, it was the kiss of _____.
    • a) death
    • b) dying
    • c) loss
  7. Jeremy used to date several women at the same time, but those days are _____.
    • a) behind
    • b) done
    • c) over
  8. If you want to be our distributor for China, I'm sure we can _____ a deal.
    • a) slice
    • b) carve
    • c) cut
  9. Yes, it's true I hated my last job, but I prefer not to _____ on the past.
    • a) dwell
    • b) stay
    • c) continue
  10. I was mad at you for not inviting me to your party, but let's bygones be _____.
    • a) finished
    • b) over
    • c) bygones
Answer Key
Mark Pops the Question

Back in Beijing, Mark and Sara discuss their plans to approach Madame Chu in the morning. They worry that they'll both be fired if she declines their offer. Over dinner, Mask asks Sara to marry him.

Mark: Let's get up early tomorrow to go see Madame Chu.

Sara: I've got butterflies in my stomach! What if we can't cut a deal?

Mark: That'll be the kiss of death for us.

Sara: Right. Ron will hit the roof and fire both of us!

Mark: Let's go get something to eat while we're still on the company's dime.

Sara: Dumplings?

Mark: No, let's go somewhere nice.

(at the restaurant)

Mark: I'm glad we're back together.

Sara: Me too.

Mark: So you've completely forgiven me?

Sara: Yes, I don't like to dwell on the past.

Mark: Me neither. I know I played the field in the past, but those days are over.

Sara: We should let bygones be bygones.

Mark: Fortune cookie?

(Sara breaks the cookie in half and reads the scrap of paper inside)

Mark: Read your fortune aloud.

Sara: Let's see. It says: "Will you marry me?".

Mark: Well?

Sara: What a way to pop the question!

Mark: Is that a "yes"?

Sara: Yes.

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