Phrase Mix 16; ethnic VS race; have a drink VS drink something;

I can't wait to get it home and try it out! You bought a new tablet computer today. You're excited about it, so you say this to your partner as you're leaving the store. get (something) home 拿回家 When you buy something new, you take it back home with you. To describe this action, use the phrase "get it home". This phrase is only used for new things that you buy, get as a gift, or are given at work. I can't wait to (do something)! You say this when you're excited about something: I can't wait to see you! I can't wait to finally be finished with school. You can also just say "I can't wait!" A: So I'll see you next weekend. B: Great! I can't wait! try (something) out 试用 The phrase "try ___ out" means to use something for the first time. The phrase "try ___" is good for actions: I'd like to try skiing 试玩. Or for eating things: Have you tried the crab cakes 试吃? But when you're talking about using an object, like a tool, an electronic device, etc., "try out" is usually better. Do you have any preferences as to the ages, genders, ethnicities [eθˈnɪsəti], etc. of the actors? You've been hired to direct a commercial for a local business. You're going to hire some actors, but you want to know if the client cares about what the actors look like. You write an email and include this question. Do you have (a preference / any preferences)? This question means "Do you care which one?" or "Do you care whether...?" Here are some examples: We can either fly or take a train. Do you have a preference? A: Let's put on some music. B: Sure! A: Do you have any preferences? This phrase is a little more formal than something like "What do you prefer?" or "What do you want?" a preference as to (clause) (preference 不接 about) "As to" is a preposition like "on", "of", "about", etc. In the expression "a preference as to ___", it means something similar to "about". It introduces the topic of the preference. Note that "about" does not fit with the word "preference". Here are some examples: Let me know if you have any preferences as to where to meet up. Did Margaret express any preferences as to how we should get started? Sentences that use "as to ___" are usually pretty formal. Some other words or phrases that use "as to" as a preposition include: I'm puzzled as to ___ I'm curious as to ___ Do you have any ideas as to ___. "Gender" means the quality of being a male or female. For example: They split us up by gender. Everyone, regardless of gender, should have an equal opportunity to get an education. Another word for "gender" is "sex". For example, you can ask a pregnant woman: A: Do you know the sex of the child? B: It's a boy. In recent years in the U.S., there has started to be a small difference between "sex" and "gender" (Gender describes the characteristics that a society or culture delineates as masculine or feminine. So while your sex as male or female is a biological fact that is the same in any culture, what that sex means in terms of your gender role as a 'man' or a 'woman' in society can be quite different cross culturally. The distinction between sex and gender differentiates a person's biological sex (the anatomy of an individual's reproductive system, and secondary sex characteristics) from that person's gender, which can refer to either social roles based on the sex of the person (gender role) or personal identification of one's own gender based on an internal awareness (gender identity). In this model, the idea of a "biological gender" is an oxymoron: the biological aspects are not gender-related, and the gender-related aspects are not biological. In some circumstances, an individual's assigned sex and gender do not align, and the person may be transgender. In other cases, an individual may have biological sex characteristics that complicate sex assignment, and the person may be intersex. ). (someone's) ethnicity A person's "ethnicity" refers to their ethnic background, which means which group of people their ancestors belonged to. Here are some examples of different ethnicities: Irish Korean Native American Jewish French Canadian Persian "Ethnicity" is a little different from "nationality", which is just the country that a person is from: American Russian Indian ...and "race", which describes a few major groups of people based mostly on skin color: white black Asian. The word "ethnicity" sounds kind of formal and scientific. It's usually more polite to talk about people's "ethnicity" than their "race". et cetera "Et cetera" means "...and so on". It indicates that there are more items in a list. It's usually written "etc." We print magazines, catalogs, posters, etc. You've got to think about memory, cpu speed, hard drive space, etc. Do you mind if I ask what your ethnic background is? You're talking to a guy at a party. He speaks with a normal American English accent, so you think that he grew up in the U.S. But you're curious what country his parents or other ancestors came from. You ask this. ethnic background In countries like the U.S. that have a lot of immigration, asking "Where are you from?" can sometimes be complicated. For example, a person might have been born and raised in the U.S., but his parents might be from Germany. So if you want to know what a person's family background is, it's not enough just to ask "Where are you from?" Instead, you should ask the question above: What's your ethnic background? A person's "ethnic background" means the country, social or religious group, etc. that their ancestors came from. Some examples of different ethnic backgrounds include: Irish, Korean, Native American. However, you should also know that there are a lot of native English speakers who confuse "ethnicity" and "race". In common use, "race" describes a few major divisions of people that are mostly based on skin color. The major groups that most English speakers would think of as different "races" are: White, Black, Asian. A lot of people would also add these categories as "races": Latino or Hispanic (people from Mexico or further south in the Americas), Native American, Arabic, Indian. Of course, these groups are not very accurate and don't have any scientific basis. But it's good to know about the popular definition of "race". People who are not very well-educated may ask about your background this way: What race are you? This is an impolite and disrespectful way to ask, in my opinion. That new guy is so eager to please 急于讨好, 太急于表现. I wish he'd tone it down a little. There's a new employee at your job. He's really energetic and tries to be helpful to everyone. It's nice, but it's also a little annoying. You complain about him to one of your close work friends. I wish (something) would (happen) This phrase is used when you want something to happen, but you don't think it's very likely. People often mix up "I wish..." and "I hope..." The difference is in how realistic your wish is. For something that's not very likely, or is impossible, use "I wish..." I wish I could fly. Or you can talk about changing the past: I wish I'd studied something a little more practical. For something that hasn't happened yet, but might still happen, use "I hope..." For example, if the weather forecast calls for rain, you can say this before the rain starts: I hope it doesn't rain. This is OK because it's still possible that the rain won't start. After the rain starts, you can't say that but you can say: I hope it stops raining soon. (someone) is eager to please Sometimes a person really wants other people to like him or her. When people seem this way, you can call them "eager to please". "Eager to please" people do things like: smile constantly, do whatever someone asks them to do, agree with other people's opinions. Calling someone "eager to please" is positive in a way, but slightly insulting at the same time. It makes the person seem a little weak. A more positive description for someone who acts this way is "friendly" or "helpful". tone it down 收敛一点, 稍微低调一点 "Toning it down" means doing less of something, or making something less extreme. You can "tone down" a lot of different things. Here are some examples: If your children are playing really loudly, you can ask them to "tone it down", meaning to play more quietly. If someone is playing a sport really aggressively even though it's not a serious game, you can comment that this person should "tone it down", meaning to play less aggressively. If your boyfriend usually likes to talk a lot about politics, you can ask him to "tone it down" when you bring him to have dinner with your parents. Well, it's the thought that counts 心意最重要, 有心就好. Your cousin sent you a birthday present. It was a book, but you're actually not interested in reading that book at all. Even though you don't like the gift, you're happy that your cousin sent you something. You think this to yourself. It's the thought that counts. This is a set phrase that English speakers use to talk about gifts. It means that it's OK if a gift isn't perfect; the purpose of giving someone a gift is just to show that you care about that person. People say this when someone gets a gift which doesn't match what they wanted. There's a tournament being held in April that I was thinking about signing up 报名参加 for... You take kickboxing classes. You saw an advertisement for a competition and thought that you'd like to try it. You mention it to your teacher to see what she thinks. sign up for (something) When you "sign up for" an event or activity, it means that you fill out a form that shows that you want to join. For example: I signed up for an aerobics class at the gym. We decided to sign up this year for the Walk Against Cancer. You can also "sign up" someone else (usually a child) for an activity: Maybe we should sign Gavin up for violin classes. there's (something)(doing something) Use "there's ___" when you're describing a situation that's happening now: There's someone at the door. There's some food in the kitchen, if you're hungry. Or something that's planned for the near future: There's a game coming on at four. It's also common to describe what something is doing using "there's": There's a woman staring at you over there. There's a humming noise coming from the refrigerator. There's some cake sitting on the counter. a tournament is held (at a certain place and time) A "tournament" is a competition between lots of people or teams. Usually one person or team is named as the champion at the end of the tournament. To talk about a tournament happening, use the phrase "be held", followed by the time of the tournament, the location, or both: It's held between late March to early April each year. Where is next year's tournament being held? Aside from tournaments, other events that are "held" include: conferences concerts, meetings a hearing. I was thinking about (doing something) Talk about a plan that you've considered with this phrase: I've been thinking about signing up for an English writing course. I've been thinking about dyeing my hair again. Where do you stand 立场是什么 on gun control? You're talking about politics and social issues with someone who you've recently become friends with. A recent topic in the news is whether there should be laws to make it harder to buy a gun. You want to know what he thinks about this. Where does (someone) stand on (an issue or debate) (position = stance 立场) English speakers often compare opinions to positions or locations in an imaginary space. For example, you can call a person's official opinion their "position": What's your position on health care reform? Debates and disagreements have "sides", which you can imagine as people standing on opposite sides of a room to show which idea they agree with: Why are you taking her side? A. Whose side are you on? B. I'm not on either side. I'm staying out of it. And when you ask someone "Where do you stand?" it means "What's your opinion?" or "What side of this debate are you on?" You identify the question or the topic with "on": Where do you stand on gun control? It's hard to tell where she stands on this topic. There's also a noun for talking about where someone stands on a topic. It's "stance". Your "stance" is similar to your "opinion" or "position": What's her stance on the topic of immigration? We use "stance" and "Where do you stand?" in business discussions, political discussions, academic debates, and other formal situations. gun control "Gun control" is a political and social issue that people debate about often in the United States. U.S. citizens have had the freedom to own guns since the country began. However, since the 1960s, some people have started to believe that this is dangerous. They believe that citizens should not be allowed to own guns, or that the government should have stricter laws on who can get guns, or what kinds of guns people can own. Other people feel very strongly that the right to own guns should not be taken away. This issue or debate is called "gun control". If you are "in favor of" 赞同 gun control, it means that you think that guns should be controlled more by the government. If you're against gun control, it means that you think that citizens should remain free to own guns. If it doesn't fit you, let me know and I'll give you the receipt to exchange it. You bought your niece a shirt for her birthday. You weren't sure what size she wore, so you say this when you give her the shirt. exchange (an item from a store) for (another item) 换 To "exchange" two things means to switch them: We exchanged business cards, but that was the last I ever heard from her. At a store, "exchanging" 退换 an item means returning it to the store, and getting something else from them instead. This is different from "returning" an item, which is when you give the item back to the store and they give you back your money. In the U.S., most clothing stores will allow you to exchange clothes that you buy for something else. Other stores like electronics stores will also let you exchange something if it's broken. A lot of stores will also allow you to return items, though some places only let customers exchange their items for store credit. This is money that can only be used in that store (clothes) fit (someone) Say this about clothes: Does it fit you? You can also just say: Does it fit? I need to swing by the office and drop off a few documents. You're talking on the phone to your friend, who you're supposed to meet after work. You've just left a late-afternoon meeting at a client's office. You explain why you can't drive directly to meet your friend. swing by (somewhere) "Swinging by" a place means visiting it quickly before going somewhere else. It's very similar to "stopping by": Can we stop by an ATM on the way there? But when someone says "swing by", it's even more casual and the visit sounds even shorter. You can tell someone to "swing by" a place when you want the trip to sound short and easy. drop off (something) To "drop off" something means to leave it in a place. But you only use it for things that you leave on purpose, not by accident. For example: I need to swing by the office and drop off a few documents. Could you drop this off for me at the post office? When you're talking about doing something at the office that you work at, you can call it "the office" (not "my office" or  "my company's office"). "The office" refers not only to the location, but also the people who work at your office. For example: I only go into the office two or three days a week. The rest of the time, I can work from home. I just got a call from the office. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cut this meeting short. "Documents" are pieces of paper or electronic files which contain important information. "Documents" can include: applications forms, financial records, presentation materials that you've written. Books, handwritten notes, and magazine articles are not usually considered "documents". There's some kind of bug 流行病毒 going around. It's winter. A lot of people that you work with are getting sick with colds and flus. You're worried that you're going to get sick too. You're talking to your wife about it. There's (a contagious sickness) going around. When a lot of people are sick with a cold, a flu, etc., you can say that it "is going around". For example: Be careful. There's a flu going around. I've noticed a few people sniffling. I hope that there's not something going around. a bug You can call a slight illness like a cold, a flu, or a stomach virus a "bug". A: Are you OK? B: I think I got some kind of stomach bug. The more common meaning of "bug" is insect, but when you use it this way, "bug" means a virus or bacterial infection. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you. I've been swamped. A professional contact calls you. He left a voicemail message for you last week, but you forgot to call him because you were so busy. After saying hello, you apologize and explain why you haven't called him back. (something) has been (adjective) Use "has been___" or "have been ___" when you're describing a situation that started at some time in the past and is still continuing now: Sales have been pretty good. It's especially common to use "has been ___" with "this week", "today", "this year", or other phrases that indicate the current time period: I've been worried about this all day. get back to (someone) To "get back to" someone means to respond. You can "get back to" someone who sent you an e-mail or left a telephone message. You can also use "get back to ___" to talk about answering someone's question later: Please get back to me by the end of the day. (someone) is swamped 忙死了 When someone is very busy at work, you can describe them as "swamped". A: Hey, do you want to go out for lunch? B: I can't today. I'm swamped. The word "swamp" means a big pool of mud. So when you're "swamped" with work, it's like being stuck in a pool of mud that you can't get out of. If someone is busy but not extremely busy, just use the word "busy" instead. I feel sorry for young folks these days, entering this job market saddled with these enormous student loans.... You're having a conversation with a friend about the difficult economy. It's difficult to find a job now and the cost of university tuition is very high. You comment on how hard it is for young people. student loans When people study at a college or university, they sometimes need to borrow money to pay for their tuition. Banks offer special loans for students which the students can pay off after they've graduated from school. These loans are called "student loans". (something) is enormous "Enormous" means "very, very, big". Here are some things that you can describe as "enormous": an enormous amount of money, an enormous explosion, enormous potential, an enormous responsibility. young folks "Folks" means "people". It's a casual phrase, used especially by older people and people from the country. "Young folks" is a common combination which means people who are younger than the speaker (but usually not babies, toddlers, or young children). enter the job market When a person starts looking for a job, they are "entering the job market". People usually enter the job market when they graduate from school. The "job market" is all of the activity connected to people looking for jobs and businesses looking for employees. (someone) is saddled with (debt) 负债累累 A creative way to say that someone owes a lot of money is to describe them as "saddled with debt". A "saddle" is a seat that you put on a horse's back so that a person can ride the horse. So being "saddled" with debt is like having something heavy on your back. It sounds tiring. This place is dead! You go to a nightclub. There aren't many people there, so you're disappointed. You say this to a friend who's with you. You can call a restaurant a "place" in casual conversation: There's a place on 6th Street that's pretty good. You can also describe what kind of restaurant it is: Have you been to that new pizza place up on 83rd Street? There's this amazing Italian place we go to sometimes. I have to take you there. And you can call a bar or dance club a "place" as well: Do you want to have a drink? I know a place nearby. (a party/bar/club) is dead Parties are supposed to have a lot of people and be loud and exciting. When there aren't many people at a party, or when the people aren't having fun, you can say that the party is "dead". You can also call a bar or a dance club "dead". I'm sorry. What was your name again? You're at a professional networking event. You've been talking to someone for a few minutes. He introduced himself at the beginning of the conversation, but now you've forgotten his name. You ask again. You can also apologize for problems that aren't your fault. I'm sorry. I didn't catch what you said. The implied question here is "Can you say that again?" The reason for apologizing in these situations is that you're supposed to listen and pay attention carefully when speaking with people who you don't know well. However, when someone says "I'm sorry" in this way it probably doesn't mean that they feel truly sorry. What was (someone's) name again? If you've been told someone's name before, but have forgotten it, you should ask for that person's name again this way: What was your husband's name again? This expression shows that you remember hearing the person's name once before. Excuse me, I could use a little help... You're cleaning your house because you're having guests over this weekend. Your husband isn't helping you. You're annoyed, so you ask for help this way. You already know that people say "Excuse me" when they do something rude to someone. But we also say "Excuse me!" to people when they are rude to us. For example, it's normal to say it when: A family member burps 打嗝 while you're eating dinner together at home. Your friend took your seat at a party when you got up to get a drink. Someone lets a door close on you instead of holding it open for you. If you ask someone a question, and you're sure that they heard you, but they don't answer, you can say "Excuse me!" because that's rude. The meaning of "Excuse me!" in these situations is something like "You need to say 'Excuse me' to me." When people say it in this way, they pronounce the words with more stress. It sounds like a statement rather than a question. The speaker might also make an angry face with raised eyebrows. I could use (something) You say "I could use ___" to indicate that you really want or need something, like a drink, but for some reason you haven't been able to get it yet. In the example at top, you say "I could really use a cup of coffee" because you're very sleepy and need some coffee, but there's no coffee nearby. Here's another example - when you're struggling with something, and there's someone nearby who isn't helping you, you can say: I could use a little help. A similar phrase is "I could go for ___." Only use this to talk about things that you suddenly want, like food or drinks: I could go for a beer right now. You want one? a little help Ask for "a little help" when you're stressed or feel like other people aren't helping you enough. For example, if you're carrying two heavy boxes and your friends or family aren't carrying anything, you can say: A little help, please? Before you pull out, check in your rear view mirror to see if there's anyone behind the car. You're teaching your teenage son to drive. You're in your driveway now, and you give him instructions on what to do first. Before you pull out, check in your rear view mirror to see if there's anyone behind the car. check to see if (something is true) It's a little bit repetitive, but English speakers sometimes use the phrase "check to see". It just means to check something and find out what the situation is. Here are some examples: I'll check to see if they have one of these at the hardware store around the corner. pull out (of a driveway or parking spot) When you park a car, you "pull in" to the parking space or driveway. When you're leaving the parking space, you "pull out" of it. You can use this phrase to talk about cars entering a road from some other road, parking lot, or driveway. For example: Can you believe that guy pulling out in front of me like that? What the hell! a rear view mirror 后视镜 There's a mirror in the middle of a car which allows the driver to see behind the car. This is called the "rear view mirror". Cars also have mirrors that stick out from the side, which are not called "rear view mirrors". They're called "side mirrors 边镜". might as well 1: We might as well sell it for scrap metal 卖废铁. Your car's engine broke down. The car is really old, so you'll have to spend more to fix it than the actual value of the car. You suggest getting rid of the car at a junk yard. (someone) might as well 还不如, 还是干点...吧 (do something) Use "might as well" to talk about doing something that you didn't originally want to, but is now your best choice. For example, if you wanted to wanted to go to sleep, but you can't sleep, you might think: I might as well read a book. Your first choice was sleeping, but reading a book is better than laying in bed without sleeping. Here's another example: A: There's so much work to do! B: You might as well get used to it. That's how things normally are around here. might as well 2: I guess I might as well stick around and have one more. You go out to a bar with some coworkers after work on a Friday. You were planning to just have one drink and then leave, but after the first drink you're having fun so you decide to stay. You say this as you order another drink. You use "I guess" to show that you have changed your mind when someone is trying to convince you of something. For example: A: Why don't you stay and have one more drink? B: OK, I guess I can have one more. In this example, speaker B makes it seem that it was speaker A's idea to stay and have another drink. "I guess" is a phrase which shows that you're making a decision that's different from what you originally were planning on doing. If you simply say "I will ___", it sounds as if you wanted to do it from the start: I'll stick around and have a few more drinks. (someone) might as well (do something) The phrase "might as well ___" is used when there's an action that's not happening yet, but it's almost happening. For example, if you're eating a dessert and you finish 90% of it, there's not much difference between eating 90% and eating 100%. You say: I might as well go ahead and finish it 还是吃完好了. Or if you have to travel to another city for work, you might decide to spend the weekend there as well and explain your reason like this: I might as well enjoy myself since I'm there. stick around "Stick around" means to stay. It is a more casual way to describe staying somewhere. You can use it when talking to people in social situations: Hey, why don't you stick around and have dinner with us? I'd love to stick around, but I have to go pick up the kids from soccer practice. Or you can use it in professional situations if you want to sound casual: Hey, would you mind sticking around for a bit after the meeting? There's something I want to run by you. have (a drink) English speakers often use the phrase "have ___" instead of "drink ___". For example: Do you want to have a glass of wine with me? You use "have a drink" when you're talking about the experience of drinking something, or you're talking about drinking in a social situation. If you're describing what you drank in a scientific- or medical-sounding way, you would use the verb "drink" instead of the phrase "have a drink". For example, if you got sick while on vacation in a foreign country, you might describe what made you sick: I drank some fruit juice with ice in it on the second day, and I think that the ice is what gave me the stomach virus. sell (something) for scrap metal "Scrap metal" is metal that's taken from old cars, machines, and appliances. The metal is melted down to be used to make new things. When you have something like a car or washing machine that's old and can't be repaired, you can sometimes sell it for a very low price to be used as scrap metal. They're down to four teams now. You're watching a basketball playoff game. You're explaining the playoffs to your girlfriend, who doesn't watch basketball. They're down to four teams now. (something) is down to (a number of something) 还剩下 When there used to be more of something, but now there's less of it, you can use the phrase "down to ___". For example, you can talk about a sports playoff: They're down to four teams now. Or about getting rid of things that you own: We sold the van, so we're down to two vehicles now. Or about food: We're down to half a bag of rice 只剩. Usually you say the number of things that you are down to, but you can also list what's left like this: Now it's down to just me, Brad, and Gbenga. Notice that it's common to include "now" somewhere in the sentence. The doctor said that it would take a few days for the antibiotics to take effect. You went to a doctor for a bad cough and got some medicine. Now you're at home and telling your husband what the doctor said. "Antibiotics" are a kind of medicine that kills bacteria. They cure various kinds of infections. People almost always refer to "antibiotics" in the plural form. It's rare to talk about "an antibiotic". (a drug) takes effect 起效, 生效 When medicine or drugs start to change a person's body, they're "taking effect". We also use "take effect" to talk about a new law starting to be enforced: A new law governing boating safety in Georgia will take effect in mid-May. I'm on it. "I'm on it" means "I will deal with this" or "I will handle this problem." You can use it in work situations: A: Bobby, there's something wrong with the phone system. Can you look into that? B: I'm on it! "I'm on it" sounds helpful and positive. When you say this, it seems like you're in control and you've already started to fix the problem. I've been on one of those low-carb diets for the last few months. You've recently lost quite a bit of weight. Someone at work asks you how you lost so much weight. You tell him about your diet. I've been on one of those low-carb diets for the last few months. low-carb (food) 低糖 Food that is "low-carb" does not have a lot of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a component of food. They include starches, which are found in foods like bread, rice, and potatoes; sugar; and fiber, which is found in food like beans and apples. Some people eat food that is low in carbohydrates in order to lose weight. You can also say that food is: low-fat, low-calorie, low-sugar, low-sodium. It's not bad... for what it is. There's a small, cheap pizza shop across the street from your apartment. A friend is visiting you and asks if their food is good. The food is not fancy, but it tastes OK. You answer like this. for what (something) (is/are) Use this expression to talk about the limits of something, and compare it to other things that have the same limits. For example, if a city is small and not very exciting, but is more fun than other cities of the same size, you can say: It's a fun town for what it is. We usually use "for what it is" in these expressions: accept (something) for what it is, enjoy (something) for what it is, appreciate (something) for what it is. Or you can use it when evaluating something: It's pretty good, for what it is. There's also a similar but separate meaning of "for what it is". It can mean "the true quality of something". That's the meaning of phrases like: recognize (something) for what it is. see (something) for what it is. For all meanings of this expression, there are also the forms "for what he is", "for what they are", "for what I am", etc.: I wish they could just accept me for what I am, instead of always trying to change me. Make a right at the next light. You're riding in a car with your friend. Your friend is driving but she's never been to the store that you're going to. make a (left/right) When you're giving someone driving instructions, you can tell them where to turn using the phrases "make a right" or "make a left". This is a little more casual than telling someone to "turn right" or "turn left". the light When you're talking about driving on a street, the phrase "the light" usually refers to a traffic signal. For example: I think we were supposed to turn at the last light. You can let me out right after the light. We tee off at 9am sharp. See you there! You're going to play golf tomorrow with a group of friends. You're texting a friend to tell him the time that you're going to start. tee off Starting a game of golf is called "teeing off". This expression comes from the name of the tool which golfers use to raise the golf ball above the ground when they start at a new hole, which is called a "tee". (some time) sharp When you're making plans for a specific time, and don't want people to be late, you can use the word "sharp" after the time: Be there at 8 o'clock sharp. We start at 9:30 sharp. Don't be late! Adding "sharp" to the time makes you seem strict, but not rude or unfriendly. What prompted you to contact me? Your ex-boyfriend called you and invited you to have coffee together. Now you're sitting with him. You want to know why he called and invited you out. contact (someone) To "contact" someone means to call, email, or send a letter to them. Those words are all specific, but "contact" can mean all three. In more casual speech, the phrase "get in touch with ___" can be used to mean "contact ___". What prompted (someone) to (do something)? You can ask "What prompted you to ___?" to find out why someone did something. Specifically, you're asking what event made the person decide to start doing that action. For example, here's a short conversation: A: So what prompted you to look for a new job after all of these years working there? B: Well, they just hired a new manager, who is totally incompetent. I couldn't stand it any longer. "What prompted you to ___?" is also a little more formal than asking "Why did you ___?" Hi. Do you have any vacancies? You had to travel to another city at the last minute. You don't have a hotel reservation, so you go to a hotel and ask this at the reception desk. That region holds a special place 有特殊含义 in my heart. You've just met someone. He comes from an area that you've been to before on vacation. You really loved visiting that area, so you comment on it. A "region" is an area. The size of a region varies. It can be an area the size of a few cities, or the size of several countries. If you're talking about outer space, it can even mean an area that's hundreds of millions of times bigger than the earth. (something) holds a special place in (one's) heart If something "holds a special place" in your heart, it means that it's very emotionally important to you. For example: Vikki will always hold a special place in my heart. That job was horrible... but strangely enough, it still holds a special place in my heart. You usually use this phrase to talk about things that you don't encounter very often any more, like a friend from your school days, a neighborhood that you don't live in any more, a pet you had when you were a child, etc. I think the guy in the fedora just winked at me. You're at a bar with a friend. There's a man who's been looking at you, and he just blinked one eye. You think he did it for you and you don't know how to respond, so you tell your friend about it. (someone) in the (something) You can talk about what a person is wearing with "in the ___": the woman in the blue skirt the kid in the gray hoodie. You can also identify someone with "with the ___": the man with the big glasses. a fedora A "fedora" is a kind of hat. It has a narrow brim going all around the head. Fedoras were most popular in the mid-1900's. wink at (someone) When someone briefly closes one eye while looking at you with the other eye, they may be "winking at" you. Winking is a gesture that suggests that the winking person is sharing some kind of secret with you. People sometimes use a wink to suggest that there's some kind of sexual attraction between them and the person they're winking at. You can also wink at someone to show that you're lying to another person. For example, you might tell your brother that the dinner he cooked was really good, while winking at your brother's children to show that it actually wasn't very good. It's about this seemingly normal suburban couple who are actually undercover spies. There's a new TV show that you've started watching. You're trying to get your husband to watch it with you, so you describe the show's main premise. a seemingly (adjective) (something) Use the phrase "seemingly ___" to talk about something that seems to be one way, but is actually something different. For example: The drive back was seemingly endless. It's amazing how even seemingly reasonable people can get caught up in believing this kind of stuff. a suburban couple A "suburban couple" are two married people who live in the suburbs, which is a small town that's nearby a larger city. In the U.S., living in the suburbs is associated with having a "normal" family life. The suburbs seem safe but boring. an undercover spy A "spy" is someone who pretends to be part of one group, but is actually giving information to another group. For example, the U.S. has spies living in other countries who send information back to the U.S. government. When a person "goes undercover", they use a false identity in order to get some kind of information. In addition to spies, police officers also sometimes go undercover. These readings are off the charts 爆表! You're watching a science fiction TV show about space explorers. The characters find a strange object in space that's releasing a lot of radiation. One character says this while looking at a computer screen. (instrument) readings 读数, 测量值 Some scientific instruments have "readings", which are the information that the equipment shows to the person using it. (something) is off the charts/scale (off (or wide of) the mark I. a long way from an intended target. If something someone says or writes is off the mark, it is not correct: His criticisms are way off the mark. Bedini and Curzi were probably not far off the mark in their analysis. "most of his shots went wide of the mark". "his answer was wide of the mark". "his shot was wide". II. incorrect or inaccurate. "past demographic projections have been way off the mark". off course not following the intended route. "the car went careering off course". on course/off course 偏航 If a ship or aircraft is on course, it is travelling along the correct route. If it is off course, it is no longer travelling along the correct route. The ill-fated ship was sent off course into shallow waters and rammed by another vessel. far adrift 偏差太远, 偏差太大Its operating system, Windows Phone, is far adrift of 远远落后于 Google's Android and Apple's iOS. Trump also appeared rattled by recent opinion polling which suggests he is far adrift of where he needs to be to challenge Clinton in crucial swing states. His form slipped 状态下滑 thereafter but we saw enough signs in Houston, where he shot a bogey-free 65 on Saturday, to suggest he will not be far adrift at Augusta. adrift I. If a boat is adrift, it is floating on the water and is not tied to anything or controlled by anyone. They were spotted after three hours adrift in a dinghy. II. If someone is adrift, they feel alone with no clear idea of what they should do. Amy had the growing sense that she was adrift and isolated. III. If something comes adrift, it is no longer attached to an object that it should be part of. [British] Three insulating panels had come adrift from the base of the vehicle. IV. In sporting competitions, if a team or a player is adrift of their rivals, they are behind them, usually by a specified number of points or by a specified distance. [British] Aberdeen are nine points adrift of 落后于 Rangers at the top of the Scottish League. V. If something has gone adrift, it is no longer happening in the way that was intended. We have seen this as an attempt to place the blame for a policy that has gone adrift. deviation I. the action of doing something that is different from the usual or common way of behaving:  Deviation from the norm is not tolerated. To abstain from meat was a serious deviation. Any deviation from the party philosophy is seen as betrayal. We do not expect any significant deviations from the business plan. II. technical the difference between a number or measurement in a set and the average of all the numbers or measurements in that set. III. a noticeable difference from what is expected or acceptable. In statistics, deviation is the difference between the value of one number in a series of numbers and the average value of all the numbers in the series. A 10 to 15 percent deviation is considered acceptable. deviate [ˈdiviˌeɪt] To deviate from something means to start doing something different or not planned, especially in a way that causes problems for others. They stopped you as soon as you deviated from the script. He planned his schedule far in advance, and he didn't deviate from it. He was determined to become a doctor and never deviated from that ambition. outlier [ˈaʊtˌlaɪr] 偏差太大的, 游离在外的值: a point in a sample widely separated from the main cluster of points in the sample. II. a person who is very unusual or successful and not like others in the same group. wiki: In statistics, an outlier is a data point that differs significantly from other observations.An outlier may be due to variability in the measurement or it may indicate experimental error; the latter are sometimes excluded from the data set. An outlier can cause serious problems in statistical analyses. scatter diagram 分布图: a graph that plots along two axes at right angles to each other the relationship between two variable quantities, such as height and weight. wiki: an anomaly is the deviation in a quantity from its expected value, e.g., the difference between a measurement and a mean or a model prediction. Similarly, a standardized anomaly equals an anomaly divided by a standard deviation. If something is an anomaly, it is different from what is usual or expected. The computer's software detected an anomaly 异样 caused by a virus. ) When a value is too high to be measured, you can say that it's "off the charts". For example: The last earthquake was pretty bad, but that one we had five years ago was absolutely off the charts! To understand this phrase, imagine that you made a graph or chart of all of the normal values of something, like the strengths of all the earthquakes that have occurred in a region. An "off the charts" value won't be able to fit onto the graph. You can also say that a value is "off the scale". This guy over there with the dreadlocks, Johnny... he's kind of the boss's right hand man. There's a new employee working with you. You're training him and showing him around. You point to one of the other people you work with and explain who he is. "Dreadlocks" are hair which is tangled together into thick pieces. People who have dreadlocks either let their hair naturally grow into this style or do things to form the dreadlocks. Each individual bunch of hair is called "a dreadlock". All together, you can say that a person "has dreadlocks" or "wears her hair in dreadlocks". the boss When you're talking about your boss with someone else who works with you, you can use the phrase "the boss". For example: The boss says we have to be here at 9:00 tomorrow. It's more common to call your boss "the boss": when you don't know your boss well when you work in a service or labor job, rather than in an office setting. (someone) is (someone's) right hand man Your "right hand man" is the person who helps you out the most. It's not like an assistant, but more like a "second in command". This is the person you trust and depend on. By the way, when you're talking about a woman who holds this position, you might use the phrase "right hand woman", but you might also use "right hand man" anyway. Moving on, let's review the differences between ionic and covalent bonds. You're a chemistry teacher. You're giving a lecture to your class. You've finished one topic and now you want to start talking about the next topic. Moving on, (sentence) Use the phrase "Moving on" to transition from one topic to another in formal situations like when you're leading a meeting, interviewing someone, teaching a class, etc. You use it at the beginning of a sentence like this: Moving on, let's discuss the budget cuts. ionic and covalent bonds This is a concept from the study of chemistry. Atoms can be bonded (meaning stuck together) to each other in two different ways: A covalent bond happens when atoms share electrons between them. An ionic bond happens when one atom removes electrons from another atom, and they are attracted to each other as a result. This topic doesn't come up in conversation much outside of science classes. We don't have much of a mass transit system here. You live in a small city. The city only has a few buses and no trains. You're talking to a friend who's visiting from a larger city, and he asks about how people there get around. a mass transit system "Mass transit" means forms of transportation that can be used by a lot of people in a city. It includes local buses, subways, and other trains. All of the mass transit for an area together is known as the area's "mass transit system": Our mass transit system is surprisingly good for such a small city.  Wouldn't you know it, my car broke down on the way to the interview! You had an interesting experience one time when you were going to a job interview. You're telling someone the story of what happened. Wouldn't you know it, (sentence) Use this phrase when something really inconvenient – maybe the most inconvenient thing in that situation — happens. For example, if you drove 30 minutes to a library in order to check out a specific book, but the book was already check out, you'd say: Wouldn't you know it, it was checked out! The tone of "Wouldn't you know it" is disappointed but accepting, like you're thinking that inconvenient things always happen to you. (a vehicle) breaks down When a vehicle like a car, truck, motorcycle, etc. stops working, we say that it has "broken down". Hey, can you come pick me up? My car broke down on the side of the road. (something happened) on the way (to somewhere) When you're going somewhere, and something happens while you're traveling, use the expression "on the way ___": I got stuck in traffic on the way to work. My luggage got lost on the way to Denver. All I need is a few shirts, a couple of changes 换洗的 of underwear, one pair of pants, and my toiletry kit. That's about it. You're visiting friends in another city. Your friend is surprised that your suitcase is so small. You explain that it's small because you don't pack a lot of stuff. a change of (clothes/pants/etc.) A different set of clothes that you can change into is "a change of clothes": Did you bring a change of clothes? We also use the phrases: a change of pants. a change of underwear. a change of socks. However, "a change of shirt" is uncommon. a toiletry [ˈtɔɪlətriz] kit 梳洗用品 "Toiletries" are items like toothbrushes, razors, deodorant, dental floss, soap, etc. When people travel, they sometimes put all of their toiletries together in a small bag. This is known as a "toiletry kit". Other examples of "kits" are: a first aid kit. an emergency kit. That's about it 就这些, 就这样. When you're listing things, and you can't think of anything else to add to the list, finish with "That's about it." A: ...some coffee, a loaf of bread... and some fruit, please. B: Anything else? A: No, that's about it. We don't have nearly as much leverage with our distributors as we used to. Your company sells products through stores. This year, you're negotiating a contract with the companies who deliver the products to the stores. The negotiation isn't going well. Now you're in a meeting and explaining why you're having trouble. You use the phrase "used to be ___" to describe a quality that someone had in the past, but doesn't have now. It's useful for describing your life when you were much younger than you are now. Of course, you can also use "was": I was such a procrastinator when I was younger. But "used to be" makes it clear that you're describing something far in the past, not something recent. not nearly "Not nearly" means "very much not". You usually use it in the expression "not nearly as ___ as ___": There aren't nearly as many cases of malaria as there were 25 years ago. I'm not nearly as full as I thought I'd be. You can also say "not nearly ___ enough": That's not nearly big enough. have leverage (with someone) In a negotiation, "leverage" is some kind of advantage that helps one side to get what they want. For example, if Company A buys more than half of Company B's products, Company A "has leverage" in negotiations. They can ask for a large discount because Company B needs to keep Company A as a customer. distributors 分销商, 代理商 A "distributor" is a company which buys products that a company makes, ships the products to different locations, and sells them. Distributors either sell the products directly to customers or sells them to to stores, which then sell them to the customers. If you're talking about distributors that your company works with, you call them "our distributors".

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".