Do you know the English expression “a stone’s throw“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Claire: Where do you live?
Peter: Just a stone’s throw away from the school.
Claire: That’s convenient for your children!
Does it mean:
a) a short distance
b) the size of a stone
c) one sometimes throws stones
d) next door
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: a) a short distance
Do you know the English expression “keep your nose clean“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Emily: Some of my co-workers have been leaving work early when the boss is out.
Kelly: Have you been doing that too?
Emily: No, I want a promotion, so I must keep my nose clean.
Does it mean:
a) make sure your nose is clean
b) don’t do anything wrong
c) work for a promotion
d) don’t do anything strange
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: b) don’t do anything wrong
Do you know the English phrase “good to go“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Karen: Do we have everything ready for the road trip?
Susan: Yes, just let me get some petrol and then we are good to go.
Does it mean:
a) be looking forward to going somewhere
b) be ready
c) be happy to go
d) be good when travelling
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: b) be ready
Do you know the phrase “burn the midnight oil“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Terry: Eddie looks tired today. Is he OK?
Paula: I think he was burning the midnight oil last night trying to get his work finished before the deadline.
Does it mean:
a) work late into the night
b) keep the heater on all night
c) work late on a cold night
d) stay up until midnight
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: a) work late into the night
Do you know the English phrase “fit as a fiddle“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Ben: Hi Karen, how’s your father doing? I haven’t seen him since he had an operation on his back.
Karen: It took a few months for him to get over the operation, but he’s fit as a fiddle now. He’s even thinking about running a marathon next year!
Does it mean:
a) a good fiddle player
b) a good runner
c) fit and sporty
d) in good health
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: d) in good health
Last year, a student gave me a weeping plum blossom tree. It is called “shidare ume” in Japanese. When I received it, it was in full bloom, with beautiful deep pink blossoms. The blossoms lasted around two weeks, and then leaves grew.
I had never looked after a tree before, so I looked on the Internet for ways to take care of it. I found a site which said that I had to cut the branches, soon after the blossoms disappear, so I did that. The site also said I should use fertilizer. I did that too. And I waited. I watered it in summer, and brought it inside when typhoons came. In winter it became buried under the snow, but seemed to be OK, so I left it outside.
For a year I wondered, “Will it blossom? Have I done everything right?” Then, a few weeks ago, small pink buds started to appear. Then one blossom opened, and then others started to open! I must have done something right! The only problem I have is that the branches didn’t grow longer. Maybe I cut them too short. Anyway, here it is! My weeping plum blossom tree!
Do you know the English expression “to hear (something) on the grapevine“? Can you guess the meaning?
William: I heard it on the grapevine that Joe is planning to quit the company.
Claire: Really? When did you hear that?
William: The other day.
Does it mean
a) hear something at a farm which grows grapes
b) hear something while eating grapes
c) hear a lie
d) hear a rumor
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: d) hear a rumor
Do you know the English expression “A penny for your thoughts”?
Can you guess the meaning?
Sally sees her friend Nicola sitting at her desk at work. Nicola is not working. She looks serious and is thinking. Sally walks over to her and says “A penny for your thoughts“.
Does it mean:
a) tell me what you are thinking and I’ll give you a penny
b) what are you thinking?
c) here is a penny for you
d) if you don’t start working, you won’t make any money
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: b) what are you thinking?
Do you know the English idiom “to be in the same boat“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess what it means?
Wayne: My company is getting rid of staff to save money. I’m really worried about my job.
Harry: Well, we are all in the same boat. I heard yesterday that my company is thinking about reducing the number of employees.
Wayne: I guess everywhere is the same these days.
Does it mean:
a) to share a boat
b) to work for the same company
c) to leave a company
d) to be in the same situation
The answer is below! ↓
Answer: d) to be in the same situation
How is your postal vocabulary? Take this short quiz from I Talk You Talk Press to find out! The pass mark is 80%. Click the green button to start the quiz. Good luck!
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