A small world

Context #1

Tom: So Sara, where are you from?
Sara: I'm from California.
Tom: Really? Me too! Where in California?
Sarah: I'm from San Diego. How about you?
Tom: I'm from San Diego too. Wow! It's a small world!

Context #2

Chris: You know that new girl in our class? Well, I just found out that we grew up in the same neighborhood. We went to the same elementary school 30 years ago!
Sam: Wow! That's amazing. What a small world!

Meaning: "a small world" is used to describe a situation where two people find out that they grew up together, live in the same apartment building, or have something truly amazing in common.

http://languagesystems.edu/ 

Cream of the crop

Context #1:

Joe: Have you decided who you're going to hire for the open position in the accounting department?

Sam: Well, I interviewed about 8 people and now I'm down to the cream of the crop. There are 2 people I am still considering, and need to make my final decision by Friday.

Context #2:

Christa: Do you know what you're going to cook for Valentine's Day dinner this year? 

Sally: Well, I had about 5 different recipes I was thinking about, and I've narrowed it down to just 2 of my recipes that are really the cream of the crop.

Meaning: "cream of the crop" is an expression that means "the best of the best."  It is used to describe the very best things out of a group of things that are all pretty good.

http://languagesystems.edu/

Be in the same boat

Context #1

Ana: Hello, Andrew! Where are you going?
Andrew: I am going to the mayor to ask him to take necessary steps against environmental pollution.
Ana: You're right. Environmental pollution has become a great problem in our lives.
Andrew: Even though the environment helps us to exist, we don’t bother to take care of it. We are polluting it indiscriminately and we're all in the same boat. People are not aware of it. They throw their waste here and there.
Ana: Cars and factories are polluting the environment through their toxic chemicals.
Andrew: That's why I decided to take action! We should take care of our environment. It’s true that we cannot stop pollution. But we can lessen it. Would you like to join me?
Ana: For sure! Let's do it!

Meaning: The speaker said that everyone should make an effort towards protecting the environment, as everyone was in the same boat and climate changes have direct consequences for all.

Context #2

Tuesday Morning at Language Systems during the Placement Test...

Mona: Hello!! Nice to meet you!!
Pat: Hi!
Mona: Hmmm, Hello! I said nice to meet you...
Pat: Sorry, but this is my first time in the U.S., and I'm scared to speak English.
Mona: No problem! I'm scared too, but we're all in the same boat!
Pat: Thank you, my friend! I'm feeling better now!

Meaning: Mona is trying to make Pat feel better by explaining that they both don't have to be proficient in English right now since they will learn how to speak English at Language Systems. They're in the same situation.

*The idiom was first used by the ancient Greeks when speaking about the risks that all passengers in a small boat at sea had to face together. Now it is used to describe any unpleasant situation, not only if you are in a boat!

http://languagesystems.edu/