knock on wood
It’s a Small World
Knock on Wood
Vocabulary
| In the bag | If it’s not one thing, it’s another |
| In your birthday suit | In the heat of the moment |
| In your face | It’s a small world |
| Ivy League | It’s anyone’s call |
| Jaywalk | Jack of all trades |
| Knee-jerk | Let sleeping dogs lay |
| Kick the bucket | Keep an eye on him |
| Knock on wood | Last but not least |
| Know the ropes | Let bygones be bygones |
| Keep your chin up | Let the cat out of the bag |
If it’s Not One Thing, it’s Another
1. If it’s not one thing, it’s another: Even if something that’s usually broken isn’t broken, something else is broken.
“If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” Can this happen with computers and the internet, or at your company?
2. In the bag: certain of success; sure.
The election is in the bag. Have you witnessed or experienced this? Have you felt this way about a task or project? Should people always feel this way?
3. In you birthday suit: being nude.
In some beaches, people walk around in their birthday suit. Are there such beaches in your country?
4. In the heat of the moment: overwhelming anger or excitement; a climax.
Do people think rationally in the heat of the moment? Can you think of times when you were in the heat of the moment?
5. In your face: aggressive or bold confrontation; blatant behavior.
Should people be “in your face” or roundabout and indirect? Do you know any in-your-face type of individuals? Do you like this behavior?
It’s a Small World
6. It’s a small world: when you run into familiar people in surprising places by coincidence.
Who have you run into accidentally or coincidentally? Do you say, “It’s a small world.”?
7. It’s anyone’s call: A decision (on competition) that is difficult to determine or judge. Who do you think danced the best? It’s anyone’s call. What is the best rate of tax? What are the best economic policies? Is it anyone’s call?
8. Ivy League: the elite universities in the US: Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Harvard.
Attending and graduating from an Ivy League university guarantees success in life. Why?
9. Jack of all trades: a handyman, a skilled, technical person.
Does a jack-of-all-trades fix or maintain your house? There is a jack-of-all-trades in my company. Yes or no? I’m am very impress by jacks-of-all-trades. Is this correct?
10. Jaywalk: Crossing the street without using the crosswalk.
Do people jaywalk in your city? Are the police strict about this? Do drivers give the right of way?
Keep an Eye on Him
11. Keep an eye on him: Carefully watch a suspicious person, child, teen, or employee and make sure they don’t get out of hand.
Keep an eye on those teenagers. Why should you keep an eye on teenagers?
Does a supervisor keep an eye on you, or vice versa?
12. Keep your chin up: to remain resolute in a crisis, defeat, or difficult situation.
It’s difficult to keep my chin up in crises. True or false? When have your colleagues had to keep their chins up? Did they prevail?
13. Kick the bucket: (insensitive, offensive slang) to die.
What happened to your friend’s old PC (car)?
14. Knee-jerk: A automatic, instinctive, usually irrational, response.
Politicians and managers often have knee-jerk reactions. Do you agree? Can you think of examples?
15. Knock on wood: tap on wood in order to avoid some bad luck.
I’m going to ask Veronica out (have a job interview). Knock on wood.
When have or do you “knock on wood”?
Know the Ropes
16. Know the ropes: to understand a procedure, job, skill.
Do you know the ropes of your career or business? How long did it take you to know the ropes? How can you know the ropes?
17. Last but not least: Introduction the last person, act, item to an audience meaning because it’s last, it’s not the worse.
Last but not least…. Is the final act or speaker usually saved for last?
18. Let bygones be bygones: forgive others and forget about an argument.
“Let bygones be bygones.” Are there people in your life or your friend’s life in which this applies?
19. Let sleeping dogs lie: don’t get involved with a potentially troubling person or situation.
“Let sleeping dogs lie.” Is there a person, project, program that is a “sleeping dog”?
20. Let the cat out of the bag: to reveal a secret.
I’m going to let the cat out of the bag.” Does this usually have to do with relationship? Give examples.
