Bob Gets an Angry Call from Carol - Bài Học 20

Carol calls Bob to tell him that a customer found a hair in her cookie. Bob wants Carol to forget abut this, but Carol thinks it's very serious. She refuses to buy any more cookies from Bob. Carol: Bob, a lady came into the Village Market today ranting and raving. Bob: Oh yeah? What happened? Carol: She found a blue hair in her chocolate chip cookie! Bob: Aha. I can see how she'd be taken aback. Carol: Does anybody in your family have blue hair? Bob: As a matter of fact, my son's girlfriend Amber has blue hair. Carol: Bob, I can't sell your cookies anymore. Bob: Aren't you blowing things out of proportion? Carol: The health department would throw the book at me if they found out about this. Bob: Couldn't we just sweep this under the rug? Carol: No. This is too serious. Bob: But I was just getting a handle on the cookie business. Now what will I do? I don't have any other way of making a living! Carol: My heart goes out to you, Bob, but you need to get your act together. I want to sell chocolate chip cookies, not hair cookies! Bob: I guess I just knocked myself out for the past week for nothing. Carol: Clearly!

Trang Chủ

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IDIOMS - Thành ngữ

as a matter of fact - in fact; actually.

Ví dụ 1: We need more milk? As a matter of fact, I was just going to ask you to go shopping.
Ví dụ 2: This isn't the first time Andy has gotten in trouble at school. As a matter of fact, just last month he was suspended for an entire week.

(to) blow things out of proportion - to exaggerate; to make more of something than one should.

Ví dụ 1: They sent a 12 year-old boy to jail for biting his babysitter? Don't you think they're blowing things out of proportion?
Ví dụ 2: Sally called the police when her neighbor's party got too loud. I think that was blowing things out of proportion.

Đồng nghĩa: To make a mountain out of a molehill.

(to) find out - to learn; to discover.
Ví dụ 1: AI is calling the theater to find out what time the movie starts.
Ví dụ 2: David had a big party at his house while his parents were away on vacation. Fortunately for him, they never found out.


(to) get a handle on - to gain an understanding of.

Ví dụ 1: This new computer program is very difficult. I still haven't gotten a handle on it.
Ví dụ 2: Once you get a handle on how the game works, please ex­plain it to everybody else.

(to) get one's act together - to get organized; to start oper­ating more effectively.

Ví dụ I: If Ted gets his act together now, he might be able to get into a good college.
Ví dụ 2: We'd better get our act together. Otherwise, we're going to miss our flight.

(to) knock oneself out - to work very hard at something (sometimes too hard).

Ví dụ I: Ted knocked himself out getting votes for Nicole, and she didn't even say thank you.
Ví dụ 2: I really knocked myself out getting these free concert tickets for you and your girlfriend. I hope you appreciate it.

NOTE: "Don't knock yourself out!" means don't work too hard at some­ thing or for someone; it's not worth it. Ví dụ : Don't knock yourself out for Jeremy- he won't appreciate it anyway!

(to) make a living - see Lesson 11.

one's heart goes out to (someone) - to feel sorry for someone.

Ví dụ I: My heart goes out to the Richardsons. Their home was destroyed in a fire.
Ví dụ 2: Naomi's heart went out to all the people who lost their jobs when the auto plant shut down.

(to) rant and rave - to talk loudly, often in anger.

Ví dụ I: A customer in the video rental store was ranting and raving that the DVD he rented was broken.
Ví dụ 2: Please stop ranting and raving! Let's discuss this issue in a calm manner.

(to) sweep (something) under the rug - to hide something, often a scandal.

Ví dụ 1: "Senator, don't try to sweep it under the rug. Everybody knows about your affair with the intern."
Ví dụ 2: Let's just sweep this incident under the rug and move on.


taken aback - surprised (almost always in a negative sense).

Ví dụ 1: Nicole was taken aback when her friend Rosa told her she no longer wanted to hang out with her.
Ví dụ 2: I was taken aback when my friend asked me if she could borrow my toothbrush because she forgot hers at home.

(to) throw the book at someone - to punish or chide severely.

Ví dụ 1: When Ted failed his chemistry test the second time, his teacher really threw the book at him.
Ví dụ 2: The judge threw the book at Matt for stealing a football from the store.
He'll be going to jail for six months.