More Speak English Like an American Lesson 14 Idioms and Expressions MCQ Test
Lesson 14: Mark and Sara Visit the Great Wall
MARK AND SARA VISIT THE GREAT WALL
Mark and Sara are in China. Sara asks Mark if he wants to visit the Great Wall with her. Mark is tired and doesn’t really want to go, but Sara convinces him.
Sara: I’m off to the Great Wall. Do you wan to come?
Mark: We’re here on business!
Sara: We’ve got a whole week here. Let’s get to know the country better.
Mark: By going to a tourist trap?
Sara: You’ll change your tune when you see it. I hear it’s amazing.
Mark: I’m ready to drop. I’ve got jet lag. I think I’ll stick around the hotel.
Sara: Exercise and fresh air will work wonders for your jet lag! You’ll definitely get a second wind.
Mark: I don’t feel like sightseeing.*
Sara: Don’t be a couch potato! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Mark: Okay, let’s go see the Great Wall.
(at the Great Wall)
Mark: Wow, this wall is long!
Sara: It’s over 4,000 miles long.
Mark: I feel like we’ve walked about 2,000 miles already. I’m hungry.
Sara: Let’s grab a bite!
Mark: We passed a woman selling dumplings about a mile back.
Sara: Okay, let’s go find her.
*(to) sightsee – to visit interesting places as a tourist
IDIOMS
- off to
→ going to; leaving for (a place)
Example: We’re off to the movies. See you later.
Example: “I’m off to Singapore tonight.” – “Have a great trip!”
- tourist trap
→ a place that attracts many tourists and charges them high prices
Example: “Did you visit Fisherman’s Wharf during your trip to San Francisco?” – “No, our friends who live there told us it was a tourist trap full of souvenir shops and silly museums.”
- (to) change one’s tune
→ to start thinking differently about something; to change one’s opinion
Example: The president of our company says he doesn’t want to manufacture in China. But when he realizes how much money we can save, he’ll change his tune!
- ready to drop
→ very tired; exhausted
Example: After a full day of sightseeing in Moscow, Grace was ready to drop.
- jet lag
→ tiredness caused by the time difference when traveling
Example: I just returned from four days in India. I’ve got jet lag.
- (to) stick around
→ to stay somewhere
Example: “I’d better be going home now.” – “Why don’t you stick around and have dinner and watch a movie with us?”
- (to) work wonders
→ to help; to be effective at making something better
Example: Wendy puts lemon peels on her forehead whenever she has a headache. She says it works wonders.
- (to) get a second wind
→ to get new energy after feeling tired; to suddenly feel energized
Example: Tim thought his two-year-old daughter was going to fall asleep, but then she got a second wind and started singing and dancing.
- couch potato
→ a lazy person; someone who just wants to stay at home and watch television or videos
Example: “Every weekend, I sit around the house and watch videos.” – “You’re such a couch potato!”
Note: This expression was first used by a man named Tom lacino in 1976. He loved to watch TV (or the “boob tube”) and belonged to a group called the “boob toobers.” A potato is a type of “tuber,” and the couch is the favorite place to sit and watch TV.
- once-in-a-lifetime
→ rare; unlikely to occur again (most often said on an opportunity or offer)
Example: Ed’s boss offered him a six-month assignment in Beijing, telling him it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- (to) grab a bite
→ to get something quick to eat
Example: Do you want to grab a bite before the movie starts?
