Speak English Like an American Lesson 6 Idioms and Expressions MCQ Test
LESSON 6 – Susan Stays Home and Bakes Cookies
SUSAN STAYS HOME AND BAKES COOKIES
Susan decides to cheer up her husband. Bob loves her homemade cookies. Nicole suggests she start a cookie business.
Susan: Bob, I baked cookies for you.
Bob: That was so nice of you, dear. You’ve got a heart of gold!
Susan: Go ahead and pig out!
Bob: These are delicious!
Susan: I thought they might cheer you up. You’ve been in a bad mood lately.
Bob: I guess I have been a little on edge. But these cookies are just what the doctor ordered!
Nicole: Do I smell cookies?
Susan: Yes, Nicole. Help yourself.
Nicole: Yum-yum.* These are out of this world. You could go into business selling these!
Bob: You could call them Susan’s Scrumptious Cookies. You’d make a bundle.
Susan: Good thinking!
Nicole: Don’t forget to give me credit for the idea after you’re rich and famous!
Susan: You know I always give credit where credit is due!
* Yum-yum: this is said when something is delicious. You can also say “mmm, mmm” or “mmm-mmm, good.”
IDIOMS
- (to) cheer someone up
→ to make someone happy
EXAMPLE 1: Susan called her friend in the hospital to cheer her up.
EXAMPLE 2: My father has been depressed for weeks now. I don’t know what to do to cheer him up.
NOTE: You can tell somebody to “Cheer up!” if they are feeling sad.
- (to) give (someone) credit
→ to acknowledge someone’s contribution; to recognize a positive trait in someone
EXAMPLE 1: The scientist gave his assistant credit for the discovery.
EXAMPLE 2: I can’t believe you asked your boss for a raise when your company is doing so poorly. I must give you credit for your courage!
- (to) give credit where credit is due
→ to give thanks or acknowledgement to the person who deserves it
EXAMPLE: I will be sure to thank you when I give my speech. I always give credit where credit is due.
- (to) go into business
→ to start a business
EXAMPLE 1: Jeff decided to go into business selling baseball cards.
EXAMPLE 2: Eva went into business selling her homemade muffins.
- good thinking
→ good idea; smart planning
EXAMPLE 1: I’m glad you brought an umbrella — that was good thinking!
EXAMPLE 2: You reserved our movie tickets over the Internet? Good thinking!
- (to) have a heart of gold
→ to be very kind and giving
EXAMPLE 1: Alexander has a heart of gold and always thinks of others before himself.
EXAMPLE 2: You adopted five children from a Romanian orphanage? You’ve got a heart of gold!
- Help yourself
→ serve yourself
EXAMPLE 1: “Help yourselves to cookies and coffee,” said Maria before the meeting started.
EXAMPLE 2: You don’t need to wait for me to offer you something. Please just help yourself to whatever you want.
NOTE: Pay attention to the reflexive form: Help yourself in singular, help yourselves in plural.
- (to be) in a bad mood
→ unhappy; depressed; irritable
EXAMPLE 1: After her boyfriend broke up with her, Nicole was in a bad mood for several days.
EXAMPLE 2: I don’t like to see you in a bad mood. How can I cheer you up?
- just what the doctor ordered
→ exactly what was needed
EXAMPLE 1: Martin wanted a hot drink after spending the day skiing. A cup of hot cocoa was just what the doctor ordered.
EXAMPLE 2: Our trip to Florida was so relaxing. It was just what the doctor ordered!
- (to) make a bundle
→ to make a lot of money
EXAMPLE 1: Bob’s friend Charles made a bundle in the stock market and retired at age 45.
EXAMPLE 2: Sara made a bundle selling her old fur coats on eBay, a website where you can buy and sell used things.
- (to be) on edge
→ nervous; irritable
EXAMPLE 1: Whenever Susan feels on edge, she takes several deep breaths and starts to feel more relaxed.
EXAMPLE 2: Ever since his car accident, Neil has felt on edge.
- out of this world
→ delicious
EXAMPLE 1: Mrs. Field’s oatmeal raisin cookies are out of this world!
EXAMPLE 2: Mmmm, I love your chicken soup. It’s out of this world!
- (to) pig out
→ to eat greedily; to stuff oneself
EXAMPLE 1: Ted pigged out on hot dogs and hamburgers at the barbeque and then got a stomachache.
EXAMPLE 2: “Nicole, stop pigging out on cookies or you’ll never be able to eat your dinner!”
NOTE: Pay attention to the preposition “on” after the verb “to pig out.” One can pig out on hotdogs, pig out on candy, pig out on ice cream.
