Do you know the English phrase “all ears“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Ruby: Jane, I need to talk to you about what happened last night with David.
Jane: Tell me all about it. I’m all ears.
Does it mean:
a) listen intently (with focus)
b) be interested in other people’s business
c) to have many ears
d) listen without speaking at all
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: a) listen intently (with focus)
In English, there is a saying “A dog is a man’s best friend“. A dog is considered to be faithful and loyal – even more so than people!
When I was a child, I had a dog. He was a West Highland Terrier. He followed me everywhere. He even followed me to the bathroom! When I took him for walks, he was always very protective of me. When I was sad, he would sit next to me to comfort me. He was an intelligent dog. He liked to watch TV. He could recognise other animals on TV, and could even recognise other dogs! He used to bark at the TV and get very excited when a dog came on. He died 15 years ago, but I still think about him. He truly was my best friend.
Do you know the English expression “Don’t give up your day job“? Read the situation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Lucy and her sister, Jackie, are at a karaoke night. Lucy has just finished singing a song. She asks Jackie, “What did you think? Did I sing well?” Jackie answers, “Don’t give up your day job.”
Does it mean:
a) you are not good at something
b) you should be working, not having fun
c) you are good at something
d) your day job is more important than singing
The answer is below! ↓
a) you are not good at something
Do you know the English expression “It’s not rocket science?” Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning? It’s not rocket science!
Carl: How do I use this computer?
Felicity: Switch it on and start typing! It’s not rocket science!
Does it mean:
a) computers are not like rockets
b) rocket science doesn’t require knowledge of computers
c) it’s not complicated
d) it’s not easy
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: c) it’s not complicated
If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Here is a short quiz about feelings. The pass mark is 80%. Click the green button to start the quiz. Good luck!
Start QuizDo you know the English expression “break a leg”? It sounds a little strange, but it means “good luck”! People say it to actors or performers before they go on stage. The origins of this expression are not known, and there are many different ideas.
In the world of theatre, it is believed that wishing someone “good luck” is actually “bad luck”. This is a superstition. There are many superstitions in the theatre. You can read more about them here.
So if your friend is going to appear in a play or in a concert on stage, don’t forget to tell them to break a leg!
Do you know the English proverb “Don’t upset the apple cart“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Natalie: I’m going to suggest a new way of working in the meeting tomorrow. I think people will work better and faster if they try my way of working.
Greg: Don’t upset the apple cart. Everyone has been working here longer than you. They don’t like change. The last time someone suggested a change in the way of working, it caused a lot of problems. The boss is happy with the way we work now.
Does it mean
a) Don’t disturb things. Leave things as they are
b) Don’t damage the apples
c) Don’t make people angry
d) Don’t upset the boss
The answer is below ↓
Answer: a) Don’t disturb things. Leave things as they are
We had very heavy snow in Japan this year. The week before last, we had 40 cm of snow! The temperature during the daytime was around 1 to 2 degrees, so the snow didn’t melt very much. It stayed on the ground for a long time. Every morning I woke up and saw that it had snowed again during the night.
At night, the roads became very icy and slippery. The snow was cleared from the main roads, but the back roads were bad. Even with new snow tires, my car slid across the road!
In many countries and regions, 40 cm of snow is not a lot. People are used to dealing with it and clearing it away so it doesn’t affect daily life too much. In this area of Japan, people are not so used to it, so it caused problems. On the day when the snowfall was the heaviest, there were traffic jams for many kilometres, and many people gave up trying to drive, and walked for hours to get home from work.
I spent every morning outside, shovelling snow. It was hard, but a great way to keep warm! This week, the weather has been quite mild. I hope this is the beginning of spring.
I Talk You Talk Press EXTRA 
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