【Speak English Like An American】 Lesson 9

Lesson 9 Nicole for President

Nicole discusses her plans to run for student body president. Nicole wants Ted to ask his friends to vote for her. Ted agrees, in exchange for Nicole’s help with his homework.

Nicole: I’ve decided to run for student body president! If I’m going to become a senator one day, I should get some experience under my belt now.

Ted: Andrea Jenkins is also running. She’ll give you a run for your money!

Nicole: Andrea Jenkins is an idiot. I’m by far the better candidate.

Ted: Don’t be so full of yourself! I might vote for Andrea.

Nicole: Stop kidding around. Let’s get down to business. I need your help.

Ted: You want me to help you?

Nicole: Yes. I need you to talk your friends into voting for me.

Ted: But you never give my friends the time of day. All you give them is the cold shoulder.

Nicole: That’s because they’ve got blue hair and nose rings!

Ted: They’re better than your friends—a bunch of goody-goodies and brown-nosers!

Nicole: That’s beside the point. Let’s talk about your friends and their votes.

Ted: Okay. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. If you do my chemistry homework, I’ll help you get the votes.

Nicole: I’m not crazy about that idea. But, okay, it’s a deal. I hope I can count on you.

Idioms

beside the point - see Lesson 3 离题

brown-noser [slang] - a person who’s constantly trying to win favor with people above them, such as teachers or bosses 拍马屁的人

EXAMPLE 1: Lauren is such a brown-noser. She’s always telling her teacher how much she enjoys class.

EXAMPLE 2: Dennis brought the boss lunch today? What a brown-noser!

NOTE: YOU will also see the verb form of this expression: “to brown-nose.” Example: Dennis is always brown-nosing the boss, but I still don’t think he’s going to get a promotion.

by far — by a wide margin; by a great difference 极高，很，最（和最高级连用）

Example 1: Some people think Tom Hanks is by far the best actor in America today.

EXAMPLE 2: Mediterranean Grill is by far the best restaurant in town. No wonder it’s so hard to get a reservation there!

SYNONYMS: by a long shot; far and away; hands down

(to) count on someone - to depend or rely on someone 指望

EXAMPLE 1: My brother has a great sense of humor, so I can always count on him to cheer me up.

EXAMPLE 2: If I can count on you to wake me up, I won't set my alarm clock.

(to be) crazy about - see Lesson 3热衷

full of oneself - to think too much of oneself 自以为是

Example 1: After Angela appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine, she was really full of herself.

EXAMPLE 2: Mitch thinks he’s really great. He's so full of himself.

(to) get down to business - to get serious about a task 开始做正事

EXAMPLE 1: The book club members spent the first two hours of their meeting eating and drinking before finally getting down to business.

EXAMPLE 2; Our dinner guests are arriving in two hours. We’d better get down to business and start preparing.

(to) get or to have under one’s belt -to have or to get experience 得到经验

EXAMPLE 1: Kristen had three years of working for a large law firm under her belt before leaving to start her own firm.

EXAMPLE 2: Ernie needs to get an MBA under his belt to get the job he wants.

(to) give (someone) a run for (one’s) money- to be strong competition 很强的对手

Example 1: We lost the soccer tournament, but we certainly gave the girls from Stamford High School a run for their money.

Example 2: Tina is a good tennis player and always gives me arun for my money.

(to) give someone the cold shoulder - to be cold to someone on purpose; to snub someone 冷落

EXAMPLE 1: When Lisa saw Amber at the mall, she didn’t even stop to talk to her. She really gave her the cold shoulder.

EXAMPLE 2: I can’t understand why Joe would give you the cold shoulder. I thought you two were good friends!

SYNONYM: to blow someone off. Example: Amber can’t understand why Lisa blew her off at the mall.

(to not) give someone the time of day - to ignore someone; to refuse to pay any attention to someone 不理睬

EXAMPLE 1: Sandra never gave me the time of day back in college, but now she calls me all the time for advice.

EXAMPLE 2: Why don’t you find a new stock broker? Yours is always so busy, she barely gives you the time of day.

goody-goody — self-righteously or smugly good 伪善的人，道学先生

EXAMPLE 1: Goody-goodies usually sit in the front row and smile at the teacher during class.

EXAMPLE 2: Samantha is a real goody-goody. She always offers to erase the blackboard at the end of class.

SYNONYMS: goody two-shoes; teacher’s pet

It’s a deal -I agree (to a proposal or offer) 就这样说定

EXAMPLE 1: You’ll make dinner every night for a month if I help you with your homework? Okay, it’s a deal!

EXAMPLE 2: “If you rake up all the leaves in front of the house, I’ll do the dishes.” —“It’s a deal!”

(to) kid around - to joke around; to tease 开玩笑

EXAMPLE 1: Jeremy loves to kid around, so don’t be offended by anything he says.

EXAMPLE 2: While they were kidding around, Tim accidentally poked Rob in the eye. He had to be rushed to the emergency room of the hospital.

NOTE: YOU will often here this in the negative “not kidding around.” This means to take something very seriously. 

Example: The White Houseis not kidding around with airport security.

(to) talk into - to persuade; to convince 说服某人做某事

Example 1: Chris didn’t want to jump out of the plane, but Erin talked him into it.

EXAMPLE 2: Stop trying to talk me into going to the dance club on Saturday night. I already decided that I’m going to Maria’s party instead.

you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours -if you do me a favor, I’ll do you a favor; let’s cooperate 你帮我，我帮你

Example 1: I’ll help you with your homework if you do the dishes. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.

Example 2: If I drive you into the city, will you pick up my dry cleaning? You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.

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