Lesson Two -- Idioms at School

a back seat driver專愛指點司機如何開車的乘客	Mrs. William is a back seat driver. She always asks the driver to drive according to her will.
a big bear hug 抱得很緊	Paul gave me a big bear hug.
a bit trying 有點苦惱	Answering this math question is a bit trying for Tim.
a cap and gown 畢業典禮的禮服	Tami wears a cap and gown in her college graduation ceremony.
a knockout 引人注目	High interest rates have been a knockout blow to the business.
a man of few words 沈默寡言的人	We thought David is a man of few words. But actually he’s quite outgoing.
a rainy day 不如意的日子	You’re going to need that money for a rainy day.
a scorcher 一個大熱天	It was a scorcher of a day.
a steady 一個固定的異性朋友	Joan has a steady.
A toast everyone. 敬大家一杯酒	"A toast everyone! Thanks for coming."
a wet blanket 掃興的人	"Hey! Come on! Don't be a wet blanket."
absent-minded professor無頭蒼蠅;做事心不在焉者	Sam's mom was very angry that Sam was an absent-minded professor.
after you 你先請	"Do you need the copier?" "After you."
all along 始終;一貫	Do you think he's been cheating us all along?
all at sea 茫然不知所措	I'm all at sea with this computer manual.
all bark and no bite 只動口,不動手的人	I'm sure your boss is all bark and no bite.
all dressed up 穿的很漂亮	He went to the party all dressed up as a Chicago gangster.
a two-year hitch 兩年的兵役	My brother was informed that he will have a two-year hitch in the army.
all ears 全神貫注地聽;愕然	As soon as I mentioned money, Karen was all ears.

Megan, Georgia and Mackenzie are enjoying a pajama party to celebrate the end of their summer vacation. Too soon, it’s time for school to start again. Let's take a look at their gossip to see how they feel about that!

Megan: I can't believe it's almost time for school to start again!

Georgia: I know! It's a bit trying, let me tell you. I was so enjoying my visits to the beach!

Mackenzie: Megan, don't be such a wet blanket. Let’s not talk about school yet.

Megan: I don't think it's such a bad thing for school to start again. It will be nice to get all dressed up in my back-to-school clothes. This year, I'm planning on looking more like a girl. I think I'd like to find a boyfriend.

Mackenzie: Speaking of boyfriends, did you hear that Maria and Sean are going steady? He asked her after the fireworks on the 4th of July.

Georgia: I'm all ears! Tell me more!

Mackenzie: Well, the day had been a real scorcher—close to 38 degrees—and Maria was feeling all sweaty and tired, so she wanted to go home. Sean asked her to stay, and she did. By the time the fireworks started, it had cooled down. But then I guess he asked her and she said yes.

Megan: That's not a lot of detail.

Georgia: I don't want too many details, thank you very much.

Megan: Well, I heard some good gossip.

Mackenzie: So did I.

Megan: Well, you first.

Mackenzie: No, no, after you.

Megan: Well, OK. I heard that Peter and Kristy broke up!

Georgia: You're joking! Why?

Megan: Believe it or not, it was all over driving. Turns out that Peter is a real back seat driver, and it was driving Kristy crazy. Every time she drove somewhere, he would be telling her what to do.

Mackenzie: That sounds like a silly reason to break up.

Megan: Well, I guess it spilled over to other things. He told her what to wear and always had to control what movies they went to see and where they went to eat. She didn’t like it at all.

Georgia: Well, I thought they would break up all along. I always thought he was too controlling. But Mackenzie, what is your gossip?

Mackenzie: Well, you know Mr. Jones, our Spanish teacher? He always seems like a real absent-minded professor, right? Well he started dating Miss Fischer, the French teacher!

Georgia: He can’t be too absent-minded if he noticed her, then! She’s a real knockout! How do you know?

Mackenzie: I saw him give her a big bear hug in town. I thought maybe they were just friends, but then I saw them holding hands in line for a movie.

Georgia: But he’s so nice. How can he stand her? She’s so mean!

Mackenzie: Oh, she’s all bark and no bite. When she’s leading French Club after school, she’s really nice.

Georgia: If you say so….

Megan: You know, all this coupling up, I think we should seriously consider the boyfriend situation.

Georgia: Well, you know I like Tom, but he’s a man of few words. It’s hard to get him to talk about what he likes. Makes it hard to get to know him.

Mackenzie: Tom? You mean Tom Johnson? He has a really cute older brother named Timmy. He just finished a two year hitch in the Marines. I’m pretty sure he was stationed in Iraq.

Megan: There’s something you could talk to him about. You could ask him what his brother will be doing now that he’s out of the Marines.

Georgia: How about you, Megan. Is there any special guy you’re thinking of or are you just looking still?

Megan: Well, I kind of like Steve from the Chess club.

Georgia: But didn’t he graduate? I saw him in a cap and gown in June, posing for a picture with his parents.

Megan: Oh, you’re right! He did. And I heard he was going to college down south. So I guess that leaves me open.

Mackenzie: I’m all at sea when it comes to boys. I never know what to say to them. And I don’t understand flirting at all. It doesn’t seem very above board if you ask me.

Megan: Flirting is fun! It’s not serious. Sometimes it just pops out. The other day there was a really cute guy behind the counter at McDonald’s when I was ordering. I don’t know what happened, but I was leaving, I just said to him: “See you later, alligator.”

Georgia: You didn’t!

Megan: I did! And what was funnier, he answered “In a while, crocodile.” Hm, maybe I should spend more time at McDonald’s.

Georgia: But then you’d spend money, and I thought we were saving for a rainy day!

Megan: But he was cute. I wouldn’t mind spending a rainy day with him! (they all laugh)

Mackenzie: Well, ladies—a toast! Raise your soda glasses. Here’s to finding boyfriends and having a good school year.

Megan and Georgia: To finding boyfriends!