Phrase Mix 15; keep an eye out for, keep an eye on; will do VS going to do VS be doing sth; answer to, report to, take orders from;

Today is a pretty big day for you, huh? English Lesson: Today is a pretty big day for you, huh? Your brother-in-law is getting married today. Now you're driving him to the wedding hall. You want to talk with him about how he feels about getting married today. You say this. When someone ends a sentence with "huh?" it means that they think you're going to agree with what they said: What a waste, huh? Oh, I guess we're both going the same way, huh? Valerie's really on a rampage today, huh? "Huh" is common when you're making small talk about the weather, or when you're gossiping about someone. When someone says "___, huh?" you should respond "Yeah!" if you agree with what they said. (today/tomorrow/etc.) is a big day You can say this when something important is going to happen on a certain day, like: starting a new job, graduating from high school or university, getting married. Everybody take a look at the picture on page 46. This is a model of what a strand of DNA looks like.You're a biology teacher. You're teaching your students about genetics. You ask them to look at an illustration in their textbooks. English speakers this Use "this" when pointing at an object that's close to you. How close? When you're standing up, it's usually used for things that are 4-5 steps away. When you're sitting down, it's usually for things that are within arm's reach. You use "that" for things that are further away, or for something that's closer to the listener than it is to you: Do you have that sofa in green 其他颜色? If you and your listeners are all looking at copies of the same thing, you can say "this". For example, if you're giving a presentation with a slide show, you can talk about what's on screen: This is a projection of our revenue for Q2. (something) is a model of (something) A "model" is something that represents something complicated and helps people to understand it. Models can be "3-D models", which are objects that you can touch. For example, some people put together model cars or model trains. There are also "2-D models", which are illustrations or drawings of something. Texbooks often have models of things, like: a model of a cell in a biology textbook. a model of the inside of a star in an astronomy textbook. a strand of DNA "DNA" is a kind of complex molecule inside of cells which controls the cell. DNA is made of a long chain of atoms which are connected to each other. The word "DNA" is uncountable 不可数, but because of the long, thin shape, you can count it by talking about individual "strands": How long is a strand of DNA? The word "strand" is also used to count other long, thin things: a strand of hair, a strand of pearls, a strand of spaghetti. what (something) (looks/sounds/etc.) like Talk about the way that something looks with the phrase "what ___ looks like". This phrase functions as a noun: I don't know what he looks like. You can talk about how something sounds, smells, tastes, etc. in the same way: What it smells like is not as important as what it tastes like. This expression is a bit casual. A more formal way to express the same idea is "how ___ looks", "how ___ sounds", etc. I am so psyched 按捺不住的激动, 激动不已! You have tickets to a big music festival. You're talking with a friend who's going with you, and you want to express how excited you are. (someone) is psyched "Psyched" is a slang expression that means "very excited". You can describe yourself as "psyched" about something fun that you have planned with your friends. The combinations "totally psyched" and "so psyched" are common. This phrase has been growing in popularity since the 1960s. A good rule of thumb is to put 10% of your pay into savings 存起来, 存款. Your nephew has just graduated from college and started his first job. You're talking to him at a family get-together. You give him some money advice. a rule of thumb 经验法则 A "rule of thumb" is an easy-to-remember rule that you can use to make a decision. Some useful rules of thumb include: Don't date someone that you work with. Try to get 8 hours of sleep each night. "Rules of thumb" aren't always true, but they're true most of the time, so you can follow them unless you have some better information to use instead. The phrase "rule of thumb" is most often used in sentences in two ways: I don't date people I work with, as a rule of thumb 基本原则, 最低原则. A good rule of thumb is to put 10% of your pay into savings. put (money) in savings Putting money "in savings" means putting the money in a savings account at a bank. You can use it like this: I try to put a few hundred dollars in savings each month. (someone's) pay 工资, 薪水, 收入 A person's "pay" is the money that they get for doing their job. The government takes out a third of your pay for taxes. A more formal way to talk about pay is with the word "salary": Nearly 40% of my salary goes to taxes. I believe it's sold over the counter 非处方药. You're talking with a friend who has allergies. Your cousin has allergies and told you about a medicine that she takes which helps. You tell your friend about this medicine. You don't think she needs a prescription to get it. I believe it's sold over the counter. (a medicine) is sold over the counter Medicine is sold in two ways: "Prescription drugs" require a prescription from a doctor. You can't buy them unless you have this. They're only sold at drug stores. "Over-the-counter drugs" don't require a prescription. You can buy them at a drug store or sometimes even at grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. For over-the-counter drugs, you can say that they are "sold over the counter": A: Is it sold over the counter? B: No, it's a prescription drug. Can you believe this shit? You're a young man. You're waiting in a really long line at an amusement park. After waiting for several minutes without moving, you get really frustrated and say this to your friend. Can you believe this shit? The phrase "Can you believe ___?" is used to criticize something that you don't like. For example: Can you believe he didn't even call me back? Can you believe this shit? I've been waiting for over an hour! Use "Can you believe ___?" when you think people are doing something that's totally unacceptable, and you're surprised about it. You usually say this to someone who you think will agree with your opinion. "Just (did something)" is often used along with this phrase: Can you believe she just took it without asking? How rude! Use "this shit 这个垃圾, 这种垃圾" to refer to something that you don't like: Ew. What is this shit? I don't have time for this shit! "Shit" is a curse word, so there are many situations in which it's not polite to say it. You shouldn't say "shit": around young children, around strangers who you want to impress, to people who you are trying to impress, like your boyfriend or girlfriend's family. in church. When you do use the phrase "this shit", it sounds angry and tough. He inherited the position from his father. You're talking with someone about the government of North Korea. This person doesn't know much about North Korea, so you explain who the country's leader is. He inherited the position from his father. inherit a position 承袭 from (someone) When an older person dies, their things often go to their children or younger relatives. You can describe this by saying that the younger people "inherit" the things from their older relatives. For example, some things that a person can inherit from an older family member include: money, a house, furniture, jewelry. In addition to money and physical things, a person can also "inherit a position". For example, the CEO of a privately-owned company might make one of her children the CEO when she retires. In this case, you can say: She inherited the position of CEO from her mother. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride. You're at a wedding. The ceremony is almost finished. The minister says this to officially announce that the couple is married. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride. At a wedding ceremony, the minister or wedding officiant 婚礼证人 says this to officially announce that the couple is married. This phrase is very formal-sounding. "I now pronounce you..." means "I officially say that you are..." This expression is not often used outside of wedding ceremonies. If someone does say "I now pronounce you..." in another situation, it's probably a joke. You may kiss the bride. The minister or wedding officiant in a wedding says this at the end of a ceremony. It means that the couple may kiss each other. Traditionally, the minister says "You may kiss the bride" to the groom. These days, some couples request that the minister say something like "You may now kiss" to avoid sexism. You may (do something). This is a very formal way to give someone permission to do something. A judge in a courtroom might use the phrase "You may..." to give people permission to do things during a trial. For example, when the judge enters the court, everyone is supposed to stand. After the judge enters, he or she might say: You may be seated 可以就座了. You can also hear this expression when you take a formal, standardized test. The person who's administering the test (usually a teacher) will read the instructions. At the end of the instructions, when everyone is ready to take the test, he or she will say: You may begin 可以开始了. You throw pretty well for a girl 对...来说. You're playing with a football on the beach with your girlfriend. You're surprised at how well she throws, so you compliment her. pretty good / pretty well for (a category) This expression is hard to explain, so let's begin with some examples: You speak English pretty well for a non-native. This is pretty good... for an American beer. You use phrases like this to compare something to the category that it belongs to. It expresses the idea that something is better  than other things in that category, but not better than things outside of that category. So in the example "You speak English pretty well for a non-native," the category is "non-natives". The sentence means "You speak English better than most non-natives. However, you don't speak as well as native English speakers." In the second example, the speaker is talking about an American beer. He or she is saying that the beer is better than most American beers, but not better than beers from some other places (like German beers, for example). The most typical example of this expression is "You're pretty good for a girl." Men say this to compliment a woman who's able to do things that men usually do, like playing certain sports. I started watching over her shoulder 看别人玩, 看客 and... what can I say? I got sucked into it. You're an adult man, but you're a fan of a TV show that's mostly watched by teenage girls. You're explaining to a friend that you started watching it because of your daughter. "What can I say" 怎么说呢 is something you say when you don't have any other good response to what someone says. Some situations where you can give this answer include: When someone says something really good about you, and you agree but you don't want to brag. When someone is really angry about something, but you aren't able to fix their problem. When someone criticizes you, and you agree that it's true. You can use it like this: A: You're such a good singer! B: Yeah, well, what can I say? It's a gift. (someone) gets sucked in (to something) When something completely takes all of a person's attention, you can say that that person has been "sucked into" it. For example, you might get sucked into: a really addictive crime novel. a long and complicated video game. an exciting but very competitive industry, like the entertainment industry. news about a famous murder trial. Another meaning of "sucked in" is to be fooled by someone's lies and false promises: Don't get sucked in 上当, 着道, 上套 by credit cards offering free airline miles or other perks. Being "sucked into" something is usually negative, whether it's used with the first or second meaning. (read/watch)(something) over (someone's) shoulder Imagine that someone is reading a book in a chair. You stand behind the chair and start to read the book that this person is reading. In this situation, you're "reading over their shoulder". You can use the phrase "reading over (someone's) shoulder" to talk about reading someone else's book, newspaper, magazine, etc. It doesn't matter where the reader is standing or sitting. It's also possible to watch TV over someone's shoulder. If one person is watching a TV show alone, and you start to watch it while pretending to do something else, you're "watching over their shoulder". I can tolerate a long commute as long as I'm able to get a seat on the train. You live far away from your workplace, so you have to ride a train for over an hour to get to work. You're chatting with coworkers during lunch, and one of them can't believe that you travel so far every day. You explain why you don't mind it. I can tolerate a long commute as long as I'm able to get a seat on the train. Your "commute" is the experience that you have traveling to work every day. You can describe a commute as short or long, easy or difficult. I like it a lot. The commute is easy, the people there are nice, and I'm doing something that I really care about. You can commute by car, by train, or by bus. If you walk to work, you usually wouldn't use the word "commute" to describe how you get to work. What's the difference between a "seat" and a "chair"? A chair is one specific kind of seat. The chair sitting at your desk is a "chair" and a "seat". However, a bench is also a "seat" but is not a "chair". We usually use the word "seat", not "chair", for seats in cars, on planes, bicycles, trains, motorcycles, and so on. I can tolerate (something) 可以忍受, 没关系, 不介意 To "tolerate" something that you don't like means that you put up with it. You let it happen, even though you don't like it. If there's something that you don't like, but you're able to accept it reluctantly, say "I can tolerate ___": A: Do you eat shrimp? B: I can tolerate it, but I don't love it. When you use the word "tolerate in a negative sense, though, it has a stronger meaning. You use "can't tolerate ___" to talk about things that you not only dislike, but also make you angry: I can not tolerate laziness. I can't tolerate people who brag. As in these examples, "can't tolerate ___" often describes people's behavior. on (a train / subway / bus) When you're talking about riding public transportation (trains, subways, buses, airplanes), use "on", not "in". For example, you can say this to someone who calls you on your mobile phone: I can't talk right now. I'm on the train. What if you put it up in a bun? Your roommate is going out on a first date. You're helping her decide what to wear and how to style her hair. You suggest a hair style that will make her look mature. put (one's) hair up "Putting your hair up" means styling your long hair in some way so that it's not just hanging down on its own. Some different hair stlyes that are considered "putting your hair up" include: putting it in a ponytail, putting it in a bun, braiding it. The opposite action from "putting your hair up" is "letting your hair down". You can also "wear your hair up" or "wear it down". a (hair) bun A "bun" is a kind of hair style in which you tie your long hair into a kind of ball shape on the back of your head, usually near the top. If you don't behave yourself, you're going straight to sleep after dinner. Do you understand me? Your son is behaving badly during dinner. You threaten to punish him this way. go straight (to somewhere) To "go straight to" somewhere means going there directly, without going anywere else on the way: I went straight to the hospital to see her as soon as I heard about the accident. When English speakers ask "Do you understand?" or "Do you understand me?" it often sounds angry and impatient. If you want to know whether someone understands you, but want to ask politely, ask: Does that make sense? Or maybe: Got it? Do you happen to know a guy by the name of Fred Breedlove? You're talking to someone at a party. He tells you that he grew up in a small town. You know one person from that town, so you ask whether this person knows him. happen to (do something) Use the phrase "happen to ___" to talk about something that doesn't seem very likely. One way this is useful is for asking questions, even though you don't think the listener will know the answer. In this example, you ask "Do you happen to..." because you think that the listener probably doesn't know this person. You would ask this question if this person was from the same town as Fred, or went to the same large university as Fred, or worked at the same large company. You can also use "happen to ___" to ask questions politely, even when you do think the listener's answer will be "yes": Excuse me, would you happen to have a pen I could borrow? "Have", "see", and "know" are the most common verbs that follow "happen to". (someone) by the name of (a name) Talk about a person this way when you think that your listener probably doesn't know who the person is: There's a man by the name of Tom Johnson who owns a hardware store in that neighborhood. Have you ever met him? It was founded in the late '30s by a woman by the name of Eloise LaPointe. This is casual spoken English. Don't use it in writing. I'll take that as a 'no'? You asked your friend if he wanted to go out to a dance club with you. He just laughed. He doesn't usually go to clubs, so you think that his laughing means that he doesn't want to go. I'll take that as a '(yes/no)'. When someone's response to a question isn't clear, you might have to guess what their answer is. You can announce what you think their answer is with the phrase "I'll take that as a ___" I'll take that as a "yes", then.  This means "It seems like you meant yes, so I'll act as if you've said "yes" to my question." You can also use this phrase as a joke when someone has been very, very clear about their answer: A: Hey, do you want to go camping with me one of these days? B: Camping? Hell no! Absolutely, positively not. Never in a million years. A: OK... well, I'll take that as a "no". Note that you always use "a" before "yes" or "no" when you use this phrase. It was supposed to be an investment, but it turns out it actually depreciated in value. You bought a house a few years ago because you thought that it would be a smart financial decision, but now the house is worth less than you bought it for. You're complaining about it with your brother-in-law, who's visiting you. it turns out that (clause) You use "it turns out that ___" when you got some information wrong, and you're now giving the correct information. You first have to say what you thought was true. (Or the listener might already know this from other conversations you've had.) Then you say something like: It turns out that it's on Wednesday, not tomorrow. So it turns out that I had been waiting on the wrong side of the train station. You can use this phrase in the past tense too: I thought it was at ten. It turned out that it was at eleven. (something) actually (is / does something) (something) is an investment An "investment" is something that you spend your money on, hoping that you will get more money back in return. Stocks and bonds are common investments. Real estate (houses, buildings, and land) can also be investments. Tools that you buy in order to do your business can also be called "an investment". English speakers also sometimes call something that they buy "an investment" when they think that it's going to last a long time and bring a lot of value. For example: A: How much did that cost? B: About six hundred dollars. A: Wow. That's pretty expensive, no? B: Yeah, but it's an investment. A high-quality jacket like this will last forever. This use of "investment" is technically incorrect, but it's common. (something) depreciates 贬值 in value When something "depreciates in value", it means that its value decreases. For example, most cars depreciate in value over time. A new car costs a lot more than an older car, and the older the car is, the less it's worth. This is a slightly technical-sounding term. A simpler way to describe this is "goes down in value": Cars go down in value the longer you own them, so it makes more sense to buy a used one. The opposite of "depreciate" is "appreciate". I'll keep an eye out for it (keep an eye on sth 照看) 替你瞅着, 替你留意. Your coworker lost one of her earrings and is looking for it. You haven't seen it and you're not going to search for it, but you want to say something supportive to your coworker anyway. To "keep an eye out for" something means to look for it. But "keeping an eye out" doesn't mean that you're actively searching for something. It means that you're looking for it while you do something else. For example, if you lost something you can ask a family member: Hey, I can't find my ring. I've looked everywhere but I can't find it. Can you just keep an eye out for it? Another phrase that's similar to "keep an eye out for ___" is "keep an eye on ___" 照看: Can you keep an eye on my stuff for a minute? I'll be right back. "Keeping an eye on" something means to continue to watch it, while "keeping an eye out for" something means to try to find it. I'll (do something) Use "will" to offer to do something, or when you've just decided to do something like in these situations: OK. Well, I'll take it. I'll keep an eye out for it. ("I'll" is short for "I will", of course.) When you've been planning to do something for a while, don't use "will". Say "I'm ___" or "I'm going to ___". We're going to keep it to just close friends and family. What a coincidence! I was just about to call you. A friend who you used to work with calls you. You were thinking about this friend earlier today, so you mention this when you answer the phone. What a coincidence! I was just about to call you. What a coincidence! A "coincidence" is when something that seems unlikely happens. Here are some examples of coincidences: You're vacationing in another country, and you run into one of your friends from college who's on a vacation there as well. You check your account balance at an ATM, and the amount of money in your account is exactly equal to the year that you were born. Three movies come out in the same season which are all based on the same children's story. When something coincidental happens, you can say: What a coincidence! I was just about to (do something). Use this expression to talk about something that you were planning to do next. For example, at work: A: Hey, are you busy? B: Actually, I was just about to leave. What do you need? This expression is useful in situations where you're a little bit late doing something: A: Hey, can you send me those sales projections? B: Yes, sorry. I was just about to do that. This makes it seem like you were already planning to send them soon, even if this person didn't remind you. Hey, I think I'm going to cut out a bit early today 早走, 早点走, 早退. You'd like to leave work earlier than usual today. Your boss doesn't care, but you tell him about it so that he knows where you are. I think I'm going to (do something) This is how to tell someone what you want to do, if you don't think they will mind. Hey, I think I'm going to order take-out for dinner. In a lot of American workplaces, you can use this to ask your boss for permission to take vacation days or sick days. You might expect that it would be more polite to ask in this way: Can I take the day off? This isn't wrong, but it does sound a bit like a child asking for something from his parents. If you are allowed to take days off of work and it doesn't cause extra problems for other people, it's better to act a little more confident and tell your boss your plan, rather than asking. a bit (adjective) "A bit" is similar to "a little", "kind of" or "somewhat". It's used when you want to lessen the degree of a description: He's a bit shorter than me. He has a video of me from when we were in college that's a bit embarrassing. "A bit" is used for adjectives that are negative. So you wouldn't say that an event was "a bit fun" or that a person is "a bit nice". But you can say that the event was "a bit boring" and the person is "a bit rude". "A bit" is slightly formal. It's more formal than "kind of" or "a little", but more casual than "somewhat": kind of > a little > a bit > somewhat. cut out (of work) early "Cutting out early" means leaving work earlier than usual. For example: Do you mind if I cut out early? This is a casual-sounding expression, but it's OK to use with coworkers or even your boss. It's kind of hit-or-miss. A friend asks what you think of it. Some episodes are good and others are bad, so you describe it this way. It's kind of hit-or-miss. "Kind of" means "a little" or "somewhat". People often use it in spoken English: I'm kind of shy when it comes to the opposite sex. It kind of took me by surprise. You can use "kind of" before an adjective ("kind of shy") or before a verb ("kind of took me by surprise"). Another phrase with a similar meaning is "somewhat": Most students find that university courses are somewhat more difficult than the classes that they took in high school. "Somewhat" is more formal. Use "kind of" for most situations and "somewhat" when discussing academic topics or in writing. The pronunciation of "kind of" sounds like "kinda". (something) is hit-or-miss When something is good sometimes, but not-so-good other times, you can describe it as "hit-or-miss": A: How's the food there? B: It's a bit hit-or-miss, to be honest. Some things that you can describe as "hit-or-miss" include: restaurants, bands. TV shows, a class of investment. "Hit or miss" is not too formal or too casual; you can use it in most situations. It's a terrible, terrible tragedy. You've been watching news reports about it. You and a coworker are talking about how bad it is for the people that live there. When something very bad happens to other people, you can call the situation "a terrible tragedy". These are some examples of terrible tragedies: an earthquake, a bombing, a school shooting. The adjective "terrible" is an ungradable adjective, which means that you can't use words like "very" in front of it. The word "terrible" itself is already extreme on its own. It must be great not having to answer to a boss. Your friend recently quit his job and started his own business. You're envious because you wish that you didn't have a boss. You comment on it to your friend. It must be (adjective) (doing something) Guess how other people feel using the phrase "It must be ___". For example: It must be fun going on business trips all around the world like you do. If you're talking about the past, you can say "It must have been ___": It must have been hard raising three children on your own. This expression is usually polite. answer to (someone) 听命于 You "answer to" someone who's in charge of you, like your boss. This means that, if you make a mistake or do something you weren't supposed to, you will have to explain your mistake to this person. Even if you own your own business, you still have to answer to investors and customers. The idea of "answering to" someone is a little negative, so it's not the usual way to explain who your boss is. A more common phrase is "report to": A: Who does Doug report to? B: To Hyun Jung, I think. If you think that you're completely independent and don't have to take orders from anyone, you can say this: I answer to no one! I mostly wear neutral colors and earth tones. You and a friend are talking about your tastes in fashion. You don't like wearing bright colors, so you describe your taste this way. I mostly wear neutral colors and earth tones. "Mostly" is a good word for conversation and casual English. A good alternative in more formal English is "primarily": It has primarily spread through word of mouth. neutral colors "Neutral colors" are white, black, and gray. Sometimes colors like brown are considered "neutral" as well if they're not bright. You talk about "neutral colors" when choosing things like clothes, accessories, curtains, furniture, and so on. earth tones "Earth tones" are colors that can be found in dirt, rocks, and trees. Earth tones include shades of brown, orange, green, dark red, and some shades of yellow. People use the phrase "earth tones" to talk about clothes, makeup, paint, and home decorations. I don't go for those kind of movies. It's just a bunch of adolescent male wish fulfillment. A James Bond movie has recently come out. A friend asks you if you've seen it. You don't like this kind of action movie because it has too much violence and sex. You explain why you don't like them. a bunch of (something) "A bunch" means "a lot" or "many": We have a bunch of leftovers. Why don't you take some home? I lost a bunch of money on the stock market. It's a casual expression and can sound kind of childlike. (someone) doesn't go for (something) "I don't go for ___" means "I don't enjoy ___." For example: I don't go for all that fancy stuff. I like a good, old-fashioned meal. You can also use this phrase to explain that someone doesn't accept something. For example: You'd better be prepared when you go in to talk to Marjorie; she doesn't go for excuses. those kind of movies Technically, this should be either "that kind of movie" or "those kinds of movies". However, in spoken English people often say "those kind of" because it's easier to pronounce. It's In this example, "It's" should technically be "They're". English speakers sometimes switch between "it" (meaning one single thing or an entire situation) and "they" (meaning more than one thing). adolescent male (something) "Adolescent" is an adjective to describe teenagers. "Male" is an adjective to describe men. The combined phrase "adolescent male ___" describes something associated with men which seems stupid and immature. For example, if you think that a grown man is being stupid by getting into fights with other men, you can say: All of this adolescent male posturing... it's so immature(posturing [ˈpɒstʃərɪŋ] false behaviour in order to impress or deceive people. political posturing. There's been a lot of posturing on both sides. Even Nixon was disgusted by the posturing and false melodrama. posture [ˈpɑstʃər] 虚张声势, 搔首弄姿 to do things only because you want people to notice you, admire you, or be afraid of you. You can say that someone is posturing when you disapprove of their behaviour because you think they are trying to give a particular impression in order to deceive people. She says the President may just be posturing. noun. I. Your posture is the position in which you stand or sit. You can make your stomach look flatter instantly by improving your posture. Exercise, fresh air, and good posture are all helpful. Sit in a relaxed upright posture. II. A posture is an attitude that you have towards something. The military machine is ready to change its defensive posture to one prepared for action. None of the banks changed their posture on the deal as a result of the inquiry.)! Here are some other popular combinations with "adolescent male": adolescent male fantasies, adolescent male behavior, adolescent male wish fulfillment. This phrase sounds kind of scientific, like you're describing the behavior of an animal. wish fulfillment 满足想象, 满足自我愿望, 精神满足(Wish fulfillment is the satisfaction of a desire through an involuntary thought process. Wish fulfillment can occur in dreams or in daydreams, in the symptoms of neurosis, or in the hallucinations of psychosis. This satisfaction is often indirect and requires interpretation to recognize. ) "Wish fulfillment" means doing all of the things that someone wishes they could do. It's mostly used to talk about things like movies, games, books, TV shows, and so on. For example, if there's a TV show about rich people wearing expensive clothes and driving around in expensive cars, that can be described as "wish fulfillment". "Wish fulfillment" is actually negative. When you describe something as "wish fulfillment", it usually suggests showing someone getting a wish which is selfish, harmful, or silly. If you just blindly accept 随便接受, 随便答应, 看也不看就接受 whatever they decide to offer, you're definitely leaving money on the table. You're a good negotiator, but your friend isn't. You're talking about the idea of negotiating for raises. You think it's important to directly ask for raises, so you give your friend this advice. definitely (do something) When you use "definitely", it means that you're sure. You use it to show how strongly you feel: I definitely want to go. "Definitely" is often used together with "can tell": I can definitely tell that you've lost some weight. You use "definitely" before a verb, but you can also use it before an adjective: I'm definitely taller than him. He's like two inches shorter than me. blindly accept (something) 想也不想就答应 "Blindly accepting" something means agreeing to it without finding out the details, without thinking about it carefully, and without any argument or debate. For example, some people "blindly accept" any information that they read in the newspaper: they assume that all of the news stories are true. This is a negative phrase. We usually say that people should not "blindly accept" things that they hear. (someone) accepts an offer "Accepting" something means saying "Yes" or "OK" in respnse. You can: accept an invitation, accept a challenge, accept an idea, accept an offer. An "offer" is something that a person tries to give you. Here are some common "offers" that people make: offer to help, offer (someone) a job, offer a salary. So "accepting an offer" means taking something that someone tries to give you, like a job. (someone) is leaving money on the table 有钱不拿, 有钱不赚 "Leaving money on the table" is an idiom which means not getting as much money as you could. You use this phrase to talk about negotiations, finance, and buying and selling things. For example: If you're going to college and you don't apply for any grants or scholarships, you're probably leaving money on the table. The "table" in this expression comes from poker: when you don't play intelligently, you're leaving your money on the poker table. Let's say that someone breaks into your house and tries to attack you. What would you do? You're talking with a friend about gun control. You think that it's a good idea for normal citizens to have weapons. You try to convince your friend by describing an imaginary situation. Let's say (something happens). You can use this phrase when you want to discuss an imaginary situation. You start with "Let's say..." and then describe the imaginary 假想的, 设想的 ( If you describe someone or their ideas as imaginative 有想象力的, 想象力丰富的, you are praising them because they are easily able to think of or create new or exciting things. ...an imaginative writer. ...hundreds of cooking ideas and imaginative recipes. They should adopt a more imaginative approach. The hotel is decorated imaginatively and attractively. ) situation. Then you ask questions about what would happen in that situation. For example: Let's say another company offered you a 20% higher salary. Would you take their offer, or keep your current job? Let's say you're travelling there and you get lost. Would you be able to speak the language fluently enough to find your way around? "Let's say..." is especially useful when you're trying to persuade someone, like when you're selling things or having a debate. Let's say I drop the price down to $150. Would you be interested then? (someone) breaks into (a house/car/etc.) When a place is locked and someone finds a way to get in, they're "breaking into" that place. Burglars "break into" houses, cars, and so on. On movies, they may even "break into" places like bank vaults. But you can also use the phrase "break into ___" to talk about getting into your own house, car, office, etc. if you're locked out: I locked myself out of the house. I tried to break in with a credit card like they do on T.V., but no luck. Notice that when you use the phrase by itself, it's "break in". When you name the place that someone breaks into, it's "break into ___". (someone) attacks (someone) "Attacking" someone means doing something violent to them. All of these are examples of "attacking" people: a man punching another man, a boss yelling at and criticizing an employee, a country firing missiles at another country. What would you do (in a situation)? Use this question for one of two purposes: to ask people to talk about an imaginary situation, to ask for advice. When you're asking for advice, stress "you": What would you do? To answer the question, use the phrase "I would..." in either case. I'm descended from 祖辈是, 是...的后代 a famous 16th-century warrior. One of your ancestors is an interesting historical figure. You're bragging about it to a friend. (someone) is descended from (someone) Use this phrase to explain who someone's ancestors were. Your ancestors are the people like your great-great-grandparents, great-great-great-grandparents, and so on. You can say that a person "is descended from" a single person: She claims to be descended from Abraham Lincoln. Or you can say that someone is descended from a group of people: They're descended from the original inhabitants of the island. A "warrior" is someone who fights in battles. We mostly use the word "warrior" to talk about people from the past who fought hand-to-hand, using things like swords, bows and arrows, and spears. Warriors were not only strong, but also a little wild. You could also call a modern soldier a "warrior". In that case, it would sound like that soldier was very strong, brave, and determined. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Your sister and her boyfriend got into a bad car accident. They're in the hospital. You write an announcement on Facebook about it, and this is how you finish your post. Keep (someone) in your (prayers/thoughts). When someone you know is going through a difficult situation, you can ask other people to pray for them or think about them. The kinds of situations that you might ask people to "keep (someone) in their thoughts and prayers" for include: Someone at your church had a family member pass away. One of your cousins is having surgery. Your good friend's house burned down. "Thoughts" is a good choice if you're not religious, or if you're writing to others who aren't religious. This is formal expression. People usually ask this in written English or when speaking to large groups of people. Ew! I stepped in 踩到 dog poop 狗屎! You smell a bad smell. You realize that the smell is coming from your shoe, so you look at it. It has some brown stuff stuck to the bottom of it. Ew! Make this sound when you see, smell, or hear about something disgusting. Another similar interjection is "Yuck!" (someone) stepped in (something) When you're walking and you step on an area which has some kind of liquid or sticky thing, you have "stepped in" that substance. For example, you can "step in": a puddle, dog poop, a spilled drink, some used chewing gum. In contrast, you "step on" solid things: I stepped on a piece of broken glass. dog poop "Dog poop" is a dog's solid waste. The phrase "dog poop" doesn't sound too disgusting or rude. It's kind of cute-sounding, actually. A more negative phrase is "dog shit".