odds and ends

Idiom: odds and ends; used as a noun

First Example:

When Thomas changed jobs, he had to clean out his office.  He was surprised by all the odds and ends he found.  In addition to paperwork, receipts and normal office supplies, he found old birthday cards, a toothbrush, refrigerator magnets, a couple hangers, and a picture of his mom's dog.  He had forgotten why he had most of them.

Meaning: "Odds and ends" is a phrase that means miscellaneous items. This idiom is usually used when describing an assortment of things that are usually leftovers, and they are not usually valuable or important.  In the above example, Thomas found a number of strange things in his office that he had collected there over the years, so "odds and ends" is a perfect word to summarize the group of objects.

Here is another example:               

Shelley's purse is filled with various odds and ends, including a scarf, post-it notes, a single earring, 2 spoons, a empty water bottle, and a package of old cookies.  She really needs to clean out her purse more often!

In this case, Shelley has a number of odds and ends in her purse in addition to more normal things like makeup and her wallet. 

To understand "odds and ends" more clearly, it might help if you understand that the phrase originally comes from lumberyards (places where they cut wood).  After cutting a long piece of wood a certain length, there would be an "end" left over, and when cutting one large piece into multiple pieces of the same size, there would be an "odd" piece left over; hence "odds and ends."

This idiom is from the upcoming edition of LSI's book "Reading Horizons," which will be used in the Level 6 Reading classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/   

must-see

Idiom: must-see; used as an adjective. 

First Example:

Samantha: I'm trying to decide what movie to watch tonight.  Can you suggest any old movies?  I want something romantic.

Rebecca: Have you seen Casablanca? 

Samantha: Yeah, I cried at the end.

Rebecca: What about Gone With the Wind? 

Samantha: Yep - but that's old.  Maybe something a little newer.

Rebecca: I assume you've already seen Titanic? 

Samantha: Actually, I haven't.

Rebecca: Really? You have to watch Titanic! It's one of the must-see movies of the 90s!  I thought everyone had already seen it.  How could you have missed it? 

Samantha: Uh, I was born in the 90s.

Meaning: "Must-see" is an adjective that means something should be seen by everyone. This idiom is usually used for movies and plays.  In the example, Rebecca says that Titanic is a must-see movie, which means she thinks everyone should see Titanic.  

Here is another example:

Stephanie: I saw the musical The Book of Mormon last night on Broadway.

Harry: How was it? 

Stephanie: It was just OK.  I had heard so many good things, I thought I was going to love it, but I wouldn't say it's a must-see.

Harry: That's too bad.  I was excited to see it.

Meaning: In this case, Stephanie said that The Book of Mormon wasn't a must-see, so she doesn't think everyone should see it.  notice that even when used as a noun, there is a hyphen between the two words.

This idiom is from the upcoming edition of LSI's book "Reading Horizons," which will be used in the Level 6 Reading classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/   

Personal Space

Idiom: personal space; used as a noun. 

First Example:

Erica: Matt is so weird!  He's always invading my personal space.

Christina: Me too!  He always stands too close.  Do you think he just does it to girls?

Erica: I don't know.  Let's ask Tom.  Hey Tom!

Tom: Yes?

Christina: Erica and I have a question.  We noticed that Matt sometimes gets a little too close.  Does he do that to you as well?

Tom: Yes!  He apparently doesn't understand what personal space is.

Meaning: "Personal space" is an invisible border around a person that is considered unacceptable to cross. While the exact size varies by person and culture, most people feel uncomfortable if someone else stands closer than approximately 2 feet from him/her.  In the above example, Erica, Christina and Tom all agree that Matt often stands too close; most likely, Matt's idea of personal space is just smaller than theirs.  Notice that Erica uses the verb "invade" to describe the way Matt crosses this invisible line; most people think of the area directly around themselves as their own, personal space, and it is an invasion of privacy to cross it.

Here is another example:

Daniel: I hate the subway after work! 

Helen: Why? 

Daniel: Everyone is so crammed in there.  I get claustrophobic*.

Helen: Weird.  I hate when other people invade my personal space too, but it doesn't really bother me on the subway.  I guess it's because I know it's not their fault.

Daniel: You're lucky. I flip out when strangers are that close.

*claustrophobia is a fear of small spaces.

Meaning: In this case, Daniel and Christina are talking about the crowded subway. For most people (like Helen), personal space invasions don't bother them as much when it's caused by a crowd; however, some people (like Daniel) are so bothered by personal space invasions that they become frightened. 

This idiom is from LSI's book "Reading Horizons," which is used in the Level 6 Reading classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/   

To Pull Something Off

To pull something off: to succeed in doing something difficult or challenging

Example 1:

Taka: I just took the official TOEFL test and it was so hard! I’m really tired.

Sarah: Really? Why did you take it so early? You’ve only been in TOEFL class for a month.

Taka: Yes, but in order to get accepted to the University of Oregon, I have to submit my score earlier than I first thought. So, I had to take the TOEFL test now.

Sarah: Oh, I see. How do you think you did?

Taka: Well, I’m not sure. I’ve been studying pretty hard in class and I think I’ve really been improving. Even though the test was hard, I think that I pulled it off and will get the score I need to go to university.

Sarah: Wow! That’s great! I wish that I could pull something like that off. I’ve been in TOEFL class for three months and I still don’t think I can get the score I need.

Taka: I’m sure you will soon. Just study hard and be positive.

Sarah: Thanks for the advice!

Example 2:

Ken: So, we had a huge 30^th surprise birthday party for my sister last weekend. We had over 100 people in the restaurant with decorations. On top of that, we had to keep it a secret so that it would be a surprise for her. I really didn’t think we could pull it off.

Jackie: So how was it? Was she surprised?

Ken: Actually, I think everything was great. She was really surprised and everybody had a great time. In the end, I really think we pulled the whole thing off!

 Jackie: Well, I’m glad it turned out to be a good party. What a nice thing to do for your sister!

 Ken: Yes, we are really close and I wanted to do something special for her birthday.

Meaning:

To pull something off means to succeed in doing something that is initially difficult or challenging. In the first example, Taka wasn’t ready to take the TOEFL test and get the score he needed to go to university. However, in the end, he pulled it off and got the score he needed. In the second example, Ken planned a big surprise party for his sister with about 100 people attending. At first, he didn't think he could keep it a secret, but in the end, Ken pulled it off and had a successful surprise party.

This idiom can be found in the upcoming new edition of Reading Horizons. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 6 Reading/Vocabulary classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com

Jerk

Idiom: Jerk - Used as a noun

 Example 1:

Tina: I cannot stand Kevin. He is such a JERK!

Selma: Wait a minute….I thought you were dating him and everything was wonderful!

Tina: Yes, we have been dating for about two months, but he is still a JERK! I just found out that he has been dating two other girls at that same time! No wonder he was always late picking me up for our dates.  He told me that I was the only girl for him and I believed him!

Selma: Wow! He is a jerk. Why don’t you just break up with him and go out with a nice guy for a change?

Tina: Well, I don’t know…maybe I should give Kevin one more chance. Even though he’s a jerk, he is still a lot of fun to be around.

Selma: OK….If that’s what you want. I still think you should look for someone else.

Tina: Well, I’ll think about it. See you later.

Example 2:

Kitty: My professor is such a jerk! Half of the time he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Then, he gets mad at the class if we don’t understand him.

Jolene: Really? I heard that his class is really interesting. Are you talking about Professor Jones who teaches American History?

Kitty: Yes! He’s so mean and doesn’t listen to any of our questions. Plus, his tests are impossible to complete. I think he really just wants to flunk everyone in class. He doesn’t care about his students at all!

Jolene: It’s so hard to believe that we are talking about the same professor.

Kitty: Well, we are and he’s a big jerk. Believe me! He doesn’t care about the students and only thinks about himself and his academic career. The other day, he left class early just to be interviewed on TV!

 Jolene: Wow! He sounds like a jerk. I wonder what happened to make him change so much.

 Kitty: I don’t know, but I’m really thinking about dropping his class.

Meaning:
A “jerk” is a word used to describe people who are mean, selfish, or foolish. In the first example, Tina’s boyfriend went out with other girls when they were dating and didn’t tell her. In the second example, the professor is selfish and is only thinking about himself while treating the students really poorly.

This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Savvy, Unit 7, Part 1. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 5 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com

To Throw a Fit

To Throw a Fit

Example 1:

Tina: Oh my goodness! Did you just see that little girl at the mall? She threw a fit when her mother refused to buy her candy.

Selma: I know, I saw her! My oldest child used to throw a fit about every little thing, but my youngest daughter never throws a fit about anything!

Tina: Really? Since I don’t have any kids, I would have no idea how to deal with a kid throwing a fit like that! I guess I have a lot of learning to do.

Selma: Oh, you’ll learn fast. Believe me!

Tina: Well, I better get home or my husband will throw a fit. He wants to go to an early movie tonight, so I can’t be late.

Selma: OK, see you tomorrow.

Tina: Bye.

Example 2:

Kitty: I’m just getting so tired of my boss. Every time we don’t do things perfectly, he throws a fit. We are all so afraid of him. Yesterday, when he caught my co-worker talking on her cell phone at her desk, he grabbed the cell phone away from her and threw it on the floor!

Jolene: Wow! Did it break?

Kitty: No, but I don’t think he would care if it did.

Jolene: That must be tough. It makes everyone really stressed out when you have a boss like that. My boss is so easy going. I’ve never seen him throw a fit about anything, even the biggest mistakes.

Kitty: You are so lucky. Why don’t we exchange jobs!

Jolene: No, that’s OK. I like it where I’m at, but maybe I could find you a job in my company. Then you wouldn’t have to put up with a boss who throws a fit over every little thing.

Meaning:
To throw a fit means to get very angry or to fly into a rage about something. In the first example, the little girl wanted candy, but her mother would not give it to her, so the girl threw a fit that was noticed by everyone in the mall. In the second example, the boss always gets angry when they make mistakes in the office.

This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Reading Transitions, Unit 8, part 2. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 4 Reading/Vocabulary classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com

To Get Around To

To Get Around To

Meaning: Finally manage to do something, make the effort to do something

Example 1:

Tom: Ahhh, just a day sitting in front of the TV with a beer watching football! What a life!

Sarah: Ummm…actually I really need you to change the light bulbs in the bathroom. They burned out two weeks ago and I have to put my make up on in the dark every morning. I look terrible!

Tom: Well, you’re not helpless! Why don’t you go buy the light bulbs and change them yourself?

Sarah: What? You know I’m not tall enough to change those light bulbs! Even with the ladder! Remember when I tried to do it last year and fell? Please, Tom, you just never get around to doing it and I’ll have to shower and put on make up in the dark for the rest of my life!

Tom: Don’t be so dramatic! I’ll get around to it soon. Just let me finish my beer and watch this game.

Sarah: (sigh)

Example 2:

Ken: So, you and Jenny make a really good couple. When are you going to propose? It’s time you settle down and start a family.

Jack: Oh, I don’t know. I’ll get around to asking her someday. I like the way things are now.

Ken: Well….you had better not wait too long. She might just get tired of waiting and find someone else who wants to start a family.

Jack: Really? I never thought about it that way. I’ve always just assumed we would get around to it sooner or later.

Ken: Dude! That’s not the way to look at it. You have to ask her now!

Jack: You know what? You’re right. I’m going to buy a ring and propose to her this weekend.

Ken: Sounds great!

Jack: Thanks for the advice!

Meaning:
To get around to something  means to finally do something after waiting or delaying it for a while.  It is used in a variety of different situations and usually shows that the person is not making an effort to do something that needs to be done. In example A, Tom has been putting off changing the light bulb. In example b, Jack has been delaying proposing to his girlfriend Jenny.  

This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Savvy. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 5 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com