Speak English Like an American Lesson 18 Idioms and Expressions MCQ Test
LESSON 18 – Everyone Bakes Cookies
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’s 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
EXAMPLE 1: Martin has become a real big shot in Hollywood. This year he produced several movies.
EXAMPLE 2: 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 vice president, Beth thinks she’s such a big shot!
- (to) fool around
→ to waste time, or spend it in a silly way
EXAMPLE 1: If we keep fooling around here, we’ll be late to the restaurant!
EXAMPLE 2: 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’s nerves
→ to annoy or irritate someone
EXAMPLE 1: My neighbor’s dog barks all night. It really gets on my nerves.
EXAMPLE 2: Please stop whistling. It’s getting on my nerves!
SYNONYMS: to get under someone’s skin; to bug someone [slang]
- (to) get the show on the road
→ to start working; to begin an undertaking
EXAMPLE 1: We can’t afford to waste any more time — let’s get the show on the road!
EXAMPLE 2: Kids, let’s get the show on the road. We don’t want to be late for the movie!
- (to) help out
→ to give assistance; to help
EXAMPLE 1: Amber offered to help out in the kitchen by chopping nuts.
EXAMPLE 2: I’d be happy to help out by baking cookies for the picnic.
SYNONYM: to lend a hand
- (to) lend a hand
→ to help
EXAMPLE 1: When Amber saw Susan washing the cookie sheets, she offered to lend a hand.
EXAMPLE 2: Would you mind lending a hand in the garden? We need to finish planting these flowers before it starts raining.
- (to) lighten up
→ to stop taking things so seriously
EXAMPLE 1: Lighten up! I’m sure Ted was only joking when he said your guitar playing gave him a headache.
EXAMPLE 2: 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
EXAMPLE 1: Sara goes to sleep every night at 3 a.m. She’s a real night owl.
EXAMPLE 2: I never go to bed before midnight. I’m a night owl.
- Nothing doing!
→ Not a chance!
EXAMPLE 1: You want me to buy the Golden Gate Bridge from you for a million bucks? Nothing doing!
EXAMPLE 2: You want me to write your paper on Catherine the Great? Nothing doing!
SYNONYMS: No way! Not on your life!
- (to) sell like hotcakes
→ to sell fast; to be a popular item
EXAMPLE 1: Those new Fubu blue jeans are selling like hotcakes. All the girls love them.
EXAMPLE 2: Stephen King’s new novel is selling like hotcakes.
- (to) stay up
→ not to go to bed; to stay awake
EXAMPLE 1: Ted and Amber stayed up all night talking about cookies.
EXAMPLE 2: Whenever I stay up late, I regret it the next morning.
- Way to go!
→ Good work!
EXAMPLE 1: You won $2,000 in the poetry writing contest? Way to go!
EXAMPLE 2: That was an interesting article you wrote. Way to go!
