【Speak English Like An American】 Lesson 10

Lesson 10 Bod Visits the Village Market

Bob goes to the Village Market, a supermarket in town. He asks Carol, the owner of the store, if she would like to sell Susan’s Scrumptious Cookies. Carol agrees, but isn’t able to tell Bob how much she'll pay him.

Bob: Thank you for making time for me today, Carol.

Carol: Don’t mention it，Bob. What’s up?

Bob: My wife baked these cookies from scratch. Please take one.

Carol: Mmmm, chewy. These are out of this world!

Bob: My wife’s a great cook.

Carol: You can say that again. I don’t want to make a pig of myself, but let me take a few more.

Bob: Oink oink! Just kidding!

Carol: I’d like to sell these at the Village Market. My customers will go nuts over these!

Bob: How much would you pay us for each cookie?

Carol: I’m not sure. I need to roll up my sleeves and figureout the finances.

Bob: Can you give me a ball parkfigure now?

Carol: I don’t want to jump the gun. Sit tight for now, andwe’ll talk things over this evening.

Idioms

- an approximate number 大略估计

EXAMPLE 1: The auto mechanic didn’t know exactly how much there pairs would cost, but he was able to give me a ballpark figure.

EXAMPLE 2: The plumber estimated that it would cost $150 to fix our sink, but that was just a ballpark figure.

Don’t mention it! - you’re welcome 不用谢

EXAMPLE 1: “Thanks for bringing the cookies,” I said to Susan. “Don’t mention it!” she replied.

Example 2: “Thanks for picking up my suit at the dry cleaners.”一“Don’t mention it. It was my pleasure.”

(to) figure out - to solve; to determine 解决

EXAMPLE 1: Ted couldn't figure out one of his math problems, so he asked his sister for help.

EXAMPLE 2: Susan is sure she’ll never figure out why kids today behave the way they do.

from scratch — from the beginning; using all fresh ingredients rather than using a prepared mix 白手起家

Example 1: The house was in such bad shape, they decided totear it down and re-build it from scratch.

EXAMPLE 2: You baked these muffins from scratch? They’re delicious!

(to) go nuts [slang] — to react with great enthusiasm 发疯

EXAMPLE 1: When Tiger Woods got a hole-in-one during the golf tournament, the crowd went nuts.

EXAMPLE 2: When Eminem appeared on stage, everybody went nuts.

NOTE: This expression also means “to go crazy” or “to become crazy with anger.” Example: Jim went nuts when his wife told him she was leaving him for another man.

(to) jump the gun - to start doing something too soon or ahead of everybody else 发疯

EXAMPLE 1: Nicole really jumped the gun by writing her acceptance speech before the results of the elections were announced.

EXAMPLE 2: The bookstore jumped the gun by selling the new Harry Potter book two weeks before its official release date.

just kidding - talking more to get a laugh than anything 开玩笑

EXAMPLE 1: I was just kidding when I said your new orange dress makes you look like a pumpkin.

Example 2: Are you sure that’s your boyfriend? I thought he was your grandfather. Just kidding!

(to) make a pig of oneself [slang] - to over eat; to eat too much 狼吞虎咽

EXAMPLE 1: I made a pig of myself by eating four slices of pie.

Example 2: Of course you could eat another hamburger, but you don’t want to make a pig of yourself.

(to) make time for - to put time in one’s schedule forsomething 腾出时间

EXAMPLE 1: Don is a busy lawyer, but he always makes time forhis family. EXAMPLE 2: I’ll be sure to make time for you when you visit me.

out of this world - see Lesson 6 (to) 出色的，了不起的

roll up one’s sleeves - to prepare to work 卷起袖子（大干）

EXAMPLE 1: Let’s roll up our sleeves and finish making the secookies!

EXAMPLE 2: You’d better roll up your sleeves and finish your homework.

(to) sit tight - to wait patiently 稳坐不动

EXAMPLE 1: Nicole won’t hear back from the colleges she applied to until April. For now, she’ll just have to sit tight.

Example 2: Sit tight, the doctor will be with you in a few minutes.

(to) talk over - see Lesson 1 讨论，详尽地商议

What’s up? - What’s going on? What’s new? 怎么了？

EXAMPLE 1: What’s up? I haven’t spoken to you in a long time.

EXAMPLE 2: You never call me anymore. What’s up with that?

you can say that again -I agree with you 说得好

EXAMPLE 1: You think our house needs repairs? You can say that again.—evenour toilet is broken!

EXAMPLE 2: “The weather is so nasty today.” - “You can say that again!

I don’t even want to go outside!”