More Speak English Like an American Lesson 10 Idioms and Expressions MCQ Test
Lesson 10: Sara Confronts Mark
SARA CONFRONTS MARK
When Sara sees Mark, she lets him know that she knows about his date with another woman on Saturday night. Mark tries to explain, but Sara just gets angrier. Angela tells them they may not want to argue so loudly where everybody can hear them.
Mark: How was the Lenny Kravitz concert on Saturday night?
Sara: Great.
Mark: I hope you’re not mad at me. I really did want to go.
Sara: Right, but you had to help your friend.
Mark: Yes, his wife left him, and he went to pieces.
Sara: Well, I’m sure a lobster dinner and a couple of bottles of wine helped a lot!
Mark: What?
Sara: I’ve got your number now. The jig is up!
Mark: What’s that supposed to mean?
Sara: You’re cheating on me, and you’re a liar!
Mark: Hey, don’t get bent out of shape. I don’t know what you heard or saw, but I can explain…
Sara: You told me a cock-and-bull story about a friend in trouble. Meanwhile, you were out with another woman.
Mark: Okay, so I told a little white lie.
Sara: To add insult to injury, you took this woman to the same restaurant you were going to take me to!
Angela: Hey, you guys might want to keep it down!
Mark: Right. Let’s not air our dirty laundry in public. I’ll call you later.
Sara: Don’t bother!
IDIOMS
- (to) go to pieces
→ to have a mental breakdown; to react very negatively to something
Example: When Tiffany got rejected from all of the colleges she applied to, she went to pieces.
- (to) have someone’s number
→ to have someone figured out; to understand someone’s sneaky behavior
Example: Craig, one of our sales managers, always tries to keep all the new accounts for himself. Fortunately, we all have his number.
- The jig is up
→ You have been caught; Your secret has been discovered; The good deal you were getting in the past is now ending
Example: Linda, I saw you taking money from the cash register. The jig is up!
- What’s that supposed to mean?
→ What are you talking about? What are you implying?
Example: “I don’t know if you and I have a future together.” – “What’s that supposed to mean?“
- (to) cheat on someone
→ to be unfaithful, usually romantically
Example: Gina found some love letters in her husband’s night table and realized that he was cheating on her.
- (to) get bent out of shape
→ to become very angry or annoyed
Example: “My roommate plays loud music every night while I’m trying to study!” – “Try not to get bent out of shape about it.”
- cock-and-bull story
→ a lie; a ridiculous excuse or explanation
Example: When Kara handed in the report a week late, she told a cock-and-bull story about having her laptop stolen from a coffee shop.
- white lie
→ a harmless lie; a lie told so as not to upset someone
Example: “You told Suzi she looks good with blonde hair?” – “Yes, I told a white lie.”
- to add insult to injury
→ to make a bad situation even worse; to further upset someone
Example: Sam broke up with Kara on Tuesday. To add insult to injury, he asked her good friend Joy out on a date for Saturday night!
- (to) keep it down
→ to not speak so loudly; to be quiet
Example: “You guys are talking too loudly. Please keep it down so the baby doesn’t wake up.”
- (to) air one’s dirty laundry in public
→ to discuss personal matters in front of other people
Example: The reporter kept asking the actress questions about her divorce. Finally, the actress said, “I’d rather not air my dirty laundry in public.”
- Don’t bother
→ Don’t make the effort, because it’s no longer welcome
Example: “Please let me apologize for being rude to you.” – “Don’t bother. I won’t be dating you anymore, so it’s not necessary.”
