IDIOM CONNECTION

lesson 16

Worry Idioms and Two Big Problems

Introduction

What are some things that people worry about?

Reading

My friend looks terrible. Sometimes, she begins to cry all of a sudden. She has a lot on her mind and she is very tired. She has two problems that are hanging over her head. She is losing sleep over both of them. First, her company is in a difficult financial situation and many people may lose their jobs. Naturally, this is weighing on her mind. If her company does carry out its plan to downsize, she will have to find a new job quickly. As for her second problem, it is much more serious. She has been spending too much money recently and now she owes a lot of money. Worrying about this money is eating away at her even more than the first problem.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. What does the woman sometimes do all of a sudden?

2. Does she have a lot on her mind?

3. How many problems are hanging over her head?

4. Is she losing sleep over these problems?

5. Is the financial situation of the company weighing on her mind?

6. What will she have to do if her company carries out its plan to downsize?

7. As for the second problem, is it much more serious?

8. Is worrying about money eating away at her?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the following idioms:

1. all of a sudden
a)   without any warning
b)   with much time
c)   a serious problem is happening

2. to have a lot on one's mind
a)   to have many things to worry about
b)   to have nothing to worry about
c)   to be very busy

3. There is an old Greek story about a king who traded places with someone who wanted to be king. The king put a sword that hung over the man's head so that the person was constantly afraid and worried. This later began to mean to have something hanging over one's head. What do you think that to have something hanging over one's head means?
a)   to be taller than someone
b)   to have no worries at all
c)   to be bothered by something

4. to lose sleep over something
a)   to relax and not worry about things
b)   to worry a lot about something
c)   to always be able to sleep well

5. If something weighs a lot, then it is rather heavy. It could cause you a problem. What does to weigh on someone's mind mean?
a)   to weigh very much
b)   to make someone worry
c)   to never cause a problem

6. to carry out something
a)   to refuse to do something
b)   to carry something carefully
c)   to do something

7. as for something
a)   concerning something
b)   to forget about something
c)   to be interested in something

8. Away can be used as an adverb that can mean out of existence or away from a thing or place. To eat away something means to destroy or damage something. What does to eat away at someone mean?
a)   to make someone eat
b)   to cause someone to worry
c)   to be enjoyable for someone

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Correct or Incorrect

Which of these sentences uses the idiom correctly? Which uses it incorrectly? Why?

1. All of a sudden the girl began to scream. There must have suddenly been a problem.
a)   Correct
b)   Incorrect

2. The woman has a lot on her mind and can relax and not think about anything.
a)   Correct
b)   Incorrect

3. The deadline to finish the essay is hanging over the student's head.
a)   Correct
b)   Incorrect

4. The man is not losing sleep over his problems at work. The man is not worried about his problems at work.
a)   Correct
b)   Incorrect

5. The man may soon lose his job. This problem is probably weighing on his mind.
a)   Correct
b)   Incorrect

6. The city will carry out the plan to build the new stadium. They will not build the new stadium.
a)   Correct
b)   Incorrect

7. As for the weather next month, it is difficult to know what it will be. It is easy to predict the weather.
a)  Correct
b)  Incorrect

8. The woman's problems are eating away at her. They are causing her much stress.
a)  Correct
b)  Incorrect

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. All __________ a sudden my friend became angry.
a)   for
b)   of
c)   to

2. The high school student has a lot _________________ her mind.
a)   on
b)   over
c)   above

3. The problem is hanging ____________________ the man's head.
a)   under
b)   over
c)   inside

4. The man is losing sleep _________________ his problems at work.
a)   under
b)   above
c)   over

5. The problem is weighing ______________ the man's mind.
a)   in
b)   over
c)   on

6. The company plans to carry ________________ the plans to restructure.
a)   in
b)   out
c)   over

7. As _________________ our boss, he will not come this evening.
a)  for
b)  far
c)  fur

8. The problem is eating away ____________________ the young woman.
a)  after
b)  at
c)  about

Your score is: ___  out of 8




Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Do you sometimes want to eat something all of a sudden?

2. Have you decided to do something all of a sudden recently?

3. Do you have a lot on your mind these days?

4. Do you know anyone who has a lot on his or her mind right now?

5. Do you have any problem that is hanging over your head now?

6. Do you have a friend who has something hanging over his or her head now?

7. Have you been losing sleep over anything recently?

8. When you were a child, did you often lose sleep over a problem?

9. Do you know anyone with something weighing on his or her mind?

10. What weighed on your mind when you were a teenager?

11. Are you able to carry out most of your plans successfully?

12. Do you know anyone who always makes plans but never carries them out?

13. As for restaurants, what kind do you usually like?

14. As for music, what kind do you like?

15. Is anything eating away at one of your friends or acquaintances now?

16. Has anything been eating away at you recently?

Role Play

Student A: You do not have enough money for your basic living needs. This problem is weighing on your mind. You are telling your friend about this problem.

Student B: You are listening to your friend's financial problems and giving him or her advice.

lesson 16