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Introduction    General Proverbs     Idioms at School    Idioms at Work    Idioms at Play   American Culture

Gossip at a Pajama Party    Chat at a Gym   Chat before a Trip    Chat among Old Friends    Dialogue on Business

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 Lesson Four -- Idioms at Play

Definition    Conversation    Test 

          Definition   

standing on one's head to be able to do something easily
make a beeline for something head straight for something
make a day of it devote a day to pleasurable pursuits
make eyes at look at someone in a way that shows you¡¦re attracted to them
horsing around tease someone or playing
idiot box television
if looks could kill a way of saying that someone looked angry at another
a coon¡¦s age a very long time
in a flash quickly
take the words out of one`s mouth someone has said the same thing one is thinking
once in a blue moon very rarely
in two shakes of a lamb's tail very quickly
back to square one you¡¦re back at the beginning of a problem or situation
clean bill of health someone or even something has been examined and said to be healthy or in proper working order
come up with something have an idea
shooting fish in a barrel something is very simple
getting to as an idiom, it means annoying one
a mess in this sense, a lot
eat like a horse someone who eats a large amount
chew the fat talk or gossip
use your noodle think intelligently

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          Conversation 

Characters:

  Megan                            Matt                              Amalia

Amalia: So, guys, there¡¦s so many things we could do today.  Let¡¦s plan so much that we make a day of it.  What do you think?

Matt: I¡¦m perfectly fine watching TV.  We just got Cartoon Network.

Megan:  Matt!  You can¡¦t spend all your time with the idiot box!  Let¡¦s get out of here! 

Amalia: Whoa-ho, Megan.  If looks could kill, you¡¦d be in trouble!

Matt: Aw, quit it, you two.  I could stop with the TV in a flash if you can come up with something good.

Megan:  There¡¦s lots to do.  Want to go rock climbing?

Amalia: I¡¦d love to, but I haven¡¦t gotten a clean bill of health from my doctor yet.  I don¡¦t think I can put that much strain on my wrist since I broke it.

Matt: Oh yeah, your wrist.  Well, that rules out bowling then. 

Amalia: Yep, but it¡¦s so nice out, let¡¦s think of something we could do outside.

Megan: You took the words out of my mouth.

Matt: How about horseback riding then?  That shouldn¡¦t bother your wrist too much. 

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Megan: Oh, say yes, Amalia!  That¡¦s something you could do standing on your head.  You¡¦ve been riding for a coon¡¦s age

Amalia: That does sound pretty cool.  There are some pretty good trails in the woods around here.  So, if we book the horses for two hours that takes us to lunch time.  We should eat, and then what?

Matt:  The movies?

Amalia and Megan:  Matt!

Matt: Just teasing.  Boy, getting to you two is like shooting fish in a barrel, I tell you! 

Amalia: Quit horsing around.  We¡¦re trying to plan here!

Megan: I know what we could do.  The pool isn¡¦t far from the stables.  Why don¡¦t we hit the pool?  It¡¦s really cool since they fixed it up¡Xit¡¦s got a huge slide into the water and everything. 

Matt: That sounds great, but I¡¦ll only go if you two promise you won¡¦t spend all the time we¡¦re there making eyes at the boys.

Amalia:  What are you talking about?

Matt: Last time I went to the pool with you two, you spent all our time there checking out the lifeguard and giggling at the boys. 

Megan: Did not!

Matt: Did, too!

Megan: At least we don¡¦t make a beeline for the snack bar, like some people I could mention. 

Amalia: Stop it you, two.  If that¡¦s the way you¡¦re going to be, Matt, maybe we should just skip the pool.

Matt: Then we¡¦re practically back at square one!

Megan: You¡¦re right.  So let¡¦s go to the pool, and we promise, no checking out the boys!

Amalia: Okay, then, if we stay at the pool till 4:00 or so, that still leaves us time for more fun.  What next?

Matt: Let¡¦s think of something we only do once in a blue moon

Megan: What could that be?  I mean, we don¡¦t go horseback riding or to the pool that often any more.  We¡¦re all too busy with school.

Matt: How about we stop at the grocery store and buy a mess of cookie ingredients and then go over to Grandma¡¦s and help her make cookies?  Then we can sit around and chew the fat with her for a few hours.  She¡¦d like that. 

Amalia: Now that¡¦s using your noodle! I think Grandma would agree to that in two shakes of a lamb¡¦s tail.  We should call her and see if she¡¦s busy, though.

Megan:  Hang on, I just called her on my cell, and she said great, but she¡¦s going to be at a meeting till 5:30 or so.  But if we come then, we can have dinner with her. 

Amalia: Should we bring something in to her?

Megan: She says, no, she has some stuff in the freezer that she can pull out now.  And she says after dinner, we can make the cookies and have them for dessert.

Amalia: Well, if we leave the pool around 4:00 that gives us an hour and a half to go shopping and get to Grandma¡¦s. We have plenty of time to stop at the coffee shop for a snack.  I know you eat like a horse, Matt. 

Matt: Hey, I¡¦m a growing boy.  Nothing wrong with that.  And if we¡¦re swimming, I¡¦ll need to refuel.

Megan:  OK, since that¡¦s all planned, let¡¦s get going!

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