【Speak English Like An American】Lesson 6

Lesson 6 Susan Stays Home and Bakes Cookies

Susan decides to cheer up her husband. Bob loves her homemade cookies. Nicole suggests she start a cookie business.

Susan: Bob, I baked cookies for you.

Bob: That was so nice of you, dear. You’ve got a heart of gold!

Susan: Go ahead and pig out!

Bob: These are delicious!

Susan: I thought they might cheer you up. You’ve been in a bad mood lately.

Bob: I guess I have been a little on edge. But these cookies are just what the doctor ordered!

Nicole: Do I smell cookies?

Susan: Yes, Nicole. Help yourself.

Nicole: Yum-yum.* These are out of this world. You could go into business selling these!

Bob: You could call them Susan’s Scrumptious Cookies. You’d make a bundle.

Susan: Good thinking!

Nicole: Don’t forget to give me credit for the idea after you’re rich and famous!

Susan: You know I always give credit where credit is due!

*Yum-yum: thisis said when something is delicious. You can also say “mmm, mmm” or “mmm-mmm, good.”

Idioms:

 (to) cheer someone up - to make someone happy 使某人高兴

EXAMPLE 1: Susan called her friend in the hospital to cheer her up. EXAMPLE 2: My father has been depressed for weeks now. I don’t know what to do to cheer him up.

NOTE: YOU can tell somebody to “Cheer up!” if they are feeling sad.

(to) give (someone) credit - to acknowledge someone’s contribution; to recognize a positive trait in someone归功于某人

EXAMPLE 1: The scientist gave his assistant credit for the discovery. EXAMPLE 2: I can’t believe you asked your boss for a raise when your company is doing so poorly. I must give you credit for your courage!

(to) give credit where credit is due — to give thanks or acknowledgement to the person who deserves it 谁值得表扬就表扬谁

Example: I will be sure to thank you when I give my speech. I always give credit where credit is due.

(to) go into business - to start a business 经商

EXAMPLE 1: Jeff decided to go into business selling baseball cards. EXAMPLE 2: Eva went into business selling her homemade muffins.

good thinking - good idea; smart planning好主意

Example 1: I’m glad you brought an umbrella — that was good thinking! Example 2: You reserved our movie tickets over the Internet? Good thinking!

(to) have a heart ofgold - to be very kind and giving有颗金子般的心

EXAMPLE 1: Alexander has a heart of gold and always thinks of others

before himself.

EXAMPLE 2: You adopted five children from a Romanian orphanage? You’ve got a heart of gold!

Help yourself - serve yourself 请自便

EXAMPLE 1: “Help yourselves to cookies and coffee，” said Maria before the meeting started.

EXAMPLE 2: You don’t need to wait for me to offer you something. Please just help yourself to whatever you want.

Note: Pay attention to the reflexive form: Help yourself in singular, help yourselves in plural.

(to be) in a bad mood - unhappy; depressed; irritable心情不好

EXAMPLE 1: After her boyfriend broke up with her, Nicole was in a bad mood for several days.

EXAMPLE 2: I don’t like to see you in a bad mood. How can I cheer you up?

just what the doctor ordered - exactly what was needed正合我意，正是我想要的。

Example 1: Martin wanted a hot drink after spending the day skiing. A cup of hot cocoa was just what the doctor ordered.

Example 2: Our trip to Florida was so relaxing. It was just what the doctor ordered!

(to) make a bundle - to make a lot of money 赚大钱

EXAMPLE 1: Bob’s friend Charles made a bundle in the stock market and retired at age 45.

EXAMPLE 2: Sara made a bundle selling her old fur coats on eBay, a website where you can buy and sell used things.

(to be) on edge - nervous; irritable紧张不安；心烦意乱；恼怒

EXAMPLE 1: Whenever Susan feels on edge, she takes several deep breaths and starts to feel more relaxed.

EXAMPLE 2: Ever since his car accident, Neil has felt onedge.

out of this world – delicious太好吃了，好得不可思议

EXAMPLE 1: Mrs. Field’s oat meal raisin cookies are out ofthis world! EXAMPLE 2: Mmmm, I love your chicken soup. It’s out of this world!

(to) pig out [slang] - to eat greedily; to stuff oneself 狼吞虎咽地大吃

EXAMPLE 1: Ted pigged out on hot dogs and hamburgers at the barbeque and then got a stomachache.

EXAMPLE 2: “Nicole, stop pigging out on cookies or you’ll never be able to eat your dinner!”

NOTE: Pay attention to the preposition “on” after the verb“to pig out.”

One can pig out on hotdogs，pig out on candy, pig out on icecream.

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