【Speak English Like An American】Lesson 18

Everyone Bakes Cookies

Bob tells his family the cookies are selling well. He asks his kids to help bake more cookies for tomorrow. Nicole says she is too busy to lend a hand.

Bob: The cookies are selling like hotcakes!

Ted: Way to go, Dad!

Bob: I need you kids to help out tonight with the cookies. We need another thousand by morning.

Nicole: One thousand by tomorrow morning? That’s impossible!

Ted: Amber and I will lend a hand. She’s a real night owl, so she won’t mind staying up late.

Bob: Nicole, we’ll need your help too.

Nicole: Bake cookies the night before the elections? Nothing doing!

Ted:Lighten up, big shot! You’re running for high school president, not President of the United States.

Nicole: Ted, you really get on my nerves sometimes.

Bob:Okay, kids, let’s stop fooling around. We need to get the show on the road!

Idioms

big shot - a powerful or important person大人物，大亨，要人，名人，有权势的人；领袖；出众的人物

EXAMPLE1: Martin has become a real big shot in Hollywood. This year he produced several movies.

EXAMPLE2: Adam is a big shot in Silicon Valley. He started a very successful software company.

Note: This expression can also be used in the negative sense, to mean somebody who thinks they’re very important.

Example: Now that she’s been promoted to vicepresident, Beth thinks she’s such a big shot!

(to) fool around — to waste time, or spend it ina silly way 干无用之事，浪费时间

Example1: If we keep fooling around here, we’ll be late to the restaurant!

EXAMPLE2: Stop fooling around! You’ve got lots of work to do.

Note:This expression also can mean to have casual sexual relations. Example: Steve and Tanya were fooling around in the back seat of the car when a policeman knocked on the window.

(to) get on one’snerves — to annoy or irritate someone 惹人烦

EXAMPLE1: My neighbor’s dog barks all night. It really gets on my nerves.

EXAMPLE2: Please stop whistling. It’s getting on my nerves!

SYNONYMS: to get under someone's skin; to bug someone [slang]

(to) get the showon the road - to start working; to begin an undertaking付诸实施

Example1: We can’t afford to waste any more time — let’s get the show on the road!

EXAMPLE2: Kids, let’s get the show on the road. We don’t want to be late for the movie!

(to) help out — see Lesson 12 帮助…摆脱困难

(to) lend a hand - see Lesson 13帮忙

 (to) lighten up - to stop taking things so seriously 放松，别生气

EXAMPLE1: Lighten up! I’m sure Ted was only joking when he said your guitar playing gave him a headache.

EXAMPLE2: Don always takes his job so seriously. He needs to lighten up. SYNONYMS:chill out [slang]; take it easy

night owl - a person who enjoys being active late at night 夜猫子

EXAMPLE1: Sara goes to sleep every night at 3 a.m. She’s a real night owl.

EXAMPLE2: I never go to bed before midnight. I’m a night owl.

Nothing doing! - Not a chance! 不行，办不到

EXAMPLE1: You want me to buy the Golden Gate Bridge from you for a million bucks? Nothing doing!

Example2: You want me to write your paper on Catherine the Great? Nothing doing!

SYNONYMS:NO way! Not on your life!

(to) sell like hotcakes - seeLesson 17 畅销

(to) stay up - not to go to bed; to stay awake 熬夜

EXAMPLE1: Ted and Amber stayed up all night talking about cookies.

EXAMPLE2: Whenever I stay up late, I regret it the next morning.

Way to go! — see Lesson 4 就该这么做

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