【Speak English Like An American】Lesson 22

Susan Shares the Good News

Bob tells Susan that the Village Market won’t take their cookies anymore. Susan tells Bob that the National Cookie Company wants to buy out Susan’s Scrumptious Cookies.

Bob: Dear, I’ve got some bad news.

Susan: What’s the matter, Bob?

Bob:The Village Market won’t take any more of our cookies.

Susan:  Why not? They’re selling like hotcakes!

Bob: I know, but a lady found a blue hair in her cookie. Now Carol refuses to sell them.

Susan: Carol is such a dragon lady! We’re better off having nothing to do with her.

Bob: She’s not my cup of tea either, but she was selling lots of cookies.

Susan: Oh well. That’s the way the cookie crumbles. Ha ha. Get it?

Bob: Susan, this is no laughing matter!

Susan: Bob, we don’t need the Village Market anymore.

Bob: Why not? 

Susan: The National Cookie Company called. They want to buy out our business.

Bob: Susan, this is a dream come true. It looks like we’ve struck it rich!

Susan: Yes. Soon we’ll be rolling in dough.

Idioms

better off— in a more fortunate position经济状况好的，富裕的；状况好的

Example 1: We’re better off leaving for France on Thursday evening, so we can spend the entire weekend there.

Example 2: If you’re interested in studying languages, you’d be better off attending Northwestern University than the University of Chicago.

NOTE: This expression is often used with conditional tense (would), especially when you’re giving advice: “you would be better off doing something or you’d be better off doing something.”

(to) buy out— to purchase an entire business or someone’s share of a business 买断

Example 1: Microsoft bought out Adam’s company for $12 million.

Example 2: Harriett and Jane sell homemade snack chips. They hope one day a big company will buy out their business.

cup of tea— see Lesson 5 心爱之人

dragon lady- a nasty woman who misuses her power冷酷无情、爱寻衅滋事的有权势的女人

Example 1: Beth is a real dragon lady. She's always screaming at her employees and blaming them for her mistakes. I hope she gets fired!

Example 2: Liz was nasty to you? I’m not surprised. She’s a dragon lady.

SYNONYMS: bitch [slang]; shrew

(to) get it~ to understand 明白了

Example I: I invited 40 people to my Thanksgiving dinner, but only 10 people came. I don’t get it!

Example 2: Don’t you get it? Your company is about to go out of business!

it looks like— it’s likely that 似乎

Example 1: It looks like I’ll be able to get out of work early today, so let’s plan on meeting downtown at 4:30.

EXAMPLE 2: It looks like it's going to rain, so we’d better just cancel the picnic now.

no laughing matter— nothing to joke about; something serious正经事；不是闹着玩的

Example 1: When the tornado came into town, it was no laughing matter.

Example 2: Jim might have been fooling around when he hit John, but he really hurt him.It was no laughing matter.

nothing to do with (someone or something) - not have any relationship with someone; to not get involved with something 与……无关

Example 1: After I found out that Nora shoplifted some lipstick from the drugstore, I wanted nothing to do with her.

EXAMPLE 2: Larry asked Nick if he wanted to help him plan a robbery. Nick told Larry that he wanted nothing to do with it.

rolling in dough- very rich 日进斗金，富有

Example 1: Susan and Bob don’t need to work anymore. They’re rolling in dough.

EXAMPLE 2: Adam will be able to retire young. He’s rolling in dough.

NOTE:This is a play on words. “Dough” means “money” as well as what is used to make cookies, breads, and pastries. The dough (cookies) made by Bob and Susan brought them lots of dough (money).

SYNONYMS: rolling in it; rolling in money; loaded

(to) sell like hotcakes— see Lesson 17 畅销

(to) strike it rich- to attain sudden financial success 发横财；大发其财

EXAMPLE 1: Chad struck it rich with the winning lottery ticket.

EXAMPLE 2: Craig hopes to strike it rich so he can quit his job and open a winery in California.

that’s the way the cookie crumbles- that’s the way things go sometimes and there’s nothing you can do about it 事已至此，只好这样，这就是命

Example 1: You lost your job? That’s the way the cookie crumbles.

Example 2: Somebody drank your last can of Pepsi? Oh well, that’sthe way the cookie crumbles.

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