My Little English Corner
A new accent is an adventure. Be bold! Exaggerate wildly!
Lesson 3 That’s a Weight off My Shoulders!
Giovanni: Hello?
Briona: Hey,Giovanni. It’s Bri.
Giovanni: Hey.
Briona: You know,Dad’s birthday is coming up in four days . . .
Giovanni: Ohman, I almost forgot! It really sneaked up onme this year.
Briona: Yeah, I thought it might have slipped your mind. So, I was wondering—do you wanna go in on a gift for him withme?
Giovanni: Yeah, sure . . . but I don’t have a clue what we should get him.
Briona: Me neither. I was thinking we could go to themall and look around.Maybe something will turn up.
Giovanni: When do you want to go?
Briona: Friday good?
Giovanni: Sounds like a plan. See ya then.
Briona: What about a new grill?
Giovanni: Bri, I’mnot a rich guy. I can’t afford to break the bank with this gift.
Briona: Okay, how about a gift certificate to a bookstore? Dad loves to read.He’s a real bookworm.
Giovanni: Yeah,we already thought of that, and Aunt Linda is on the case
Briona: Fine.Neckties?
Giovanni: Can you get anymore run-of-the-mill?
Briona: Well, thenWHAT?! Every suggestion Imake, you tear to pieces. At least throwme a bone here! It’s not helpful for you to just shoot downmy ideas!
Giovanni: Well, I don’t know what to get himeither.What do you buy for theman who has everything?
Briona: Oh, you’re a great help! Your optimismis beginning to get on my nerves. I’m beat.Maybe we should just call it a day.
Giovanni: No,wait . . . All right, Bri, you want my two cents?
Briona: Finally! Yes!What do you think?
Giovanni: It’s his 50th birthday, so we should get himsomething good. . . .
Briona: Like . . . ?
Giovanni: I don’t know . . . Something that really knocks his socks off !
Briona: Big help you are! You know, you could at least . . . Hey!
That’s it! Didn’t Dad say he wanted to start exercising, because he feels like he’s not in shape?
Giovanni: Yeah . . .
Briona: Well . . . we could get hima pair of running shoes, and amembership to a club!
Giovanni: Hmmm. . . That’s not bad. But howmuch will I have to shell out?
Briona: Don’t worry . . . Pay what you can; I’ll pay the rest.
Giovanni: This is hands down the best idea I’ve heard all day.
Briona: What a weight off my shoulders!
Giovanni: Mine too! And since I inspired it, you should treat me to lunch.
Briona: Don’t push your luck!
1. To be coming up. To be about to occur. To happen in the near future.
2. To sneak up on somebody. To happen or be about to happen without someone’s realization or preparation. By the way, you’ll hearmany people use the past form“snuck” as well.
3. To slip someone’smind. To be forgotten.
4. To go in on something with someone. To share the cost or expense of something with someone.
5. To not have a clue. To not know about something at all.
6. To look around. Tomove through a place and observe without the intention of finding something in particular.
7. To turn up. To appear or be found.
8. To break the bank. To spend all yourmoney on something, to empty your bank account to pay for something, to pay too much for something.
9. Bookworm. A person who loves to read.
10. To be on the case. To already be working on a certain project, to have begun working to achieve a particular goal.
11. To be run-of-the-mill. To be ordinary or typical. To be commonplace.
12. To tear something to pieces. To find fault with something or harshly criticize. To insult.
13. To throw someone a bone. Tomake a small or token gesture of support for someone, often in a patronizing way.
14. To shoot something down. To dismiss or reject something, such as an idea or a suggestion.
15. To get on someone’s nerves. To annoy or agitate someone.
16. To be beat. To be exhausted.
17. To call it a day. To decide that a project, event, or situation is over. To stop working on something for the day.
18. To put in or give your two cents. To give your opinion or share your ideas about something.
19. To knock someone’s socks off. To shock or surprise someone in a pleasant or happy way by performing beyond expectation.
20. To be in shape. To be in good physical condition.Note that you can also say “to get in shape,”meaning “to train your body and become physically fit.”
21. To shell out. To pay, usually a bit unwillingly.
22. Hands down.Without a doubt.
23. To be a weight off your shoulders. To no longer be a source of worry or concern for you.
24. To push your luck. To try to get toomuch of a reward, to be greedy, to want toomuch.
