IDIOM CONNECTION

lesson 45

Forget Idioms and a Forgotten Name

Introduction

1. Can you easily remember people's names?

2. Can you easily remember phone numbers?

3. Do you have a system to remember names or numbers?

Reading

I sometimes run into problems when I cannot remember someone's name. Usually, I forget a name as soon as someone tells it to me. It goes in one ear and out the other. When a situation comes up and I really want to remember a name, I do not know what to do. Last week, when I was at a party, I saw a girl whom I had met once before. Her name was on the tip of my tongue. However, when I tried to remember her name, I drew a blank. I tried to engage her in some small talk but I could not learn the name. I was in a bind. I tried and I tried but I could not remember her name.

Reading Questions

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

1. Why does this person sometimes run into problems?

2. Does he usually forget a name as soon as someone tells him?

3. Does a name usually go in one ear and out the other when he hears it?

4. Does he know what to do when something comes up and he wants to remember a name?

5. Whose name was on the tip of his tongue?

6. Did he draw a blank when he tried to remember the name?

7. Did he try to engage her in some small talk?

8. Was he in a bind?

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 underlined idioms:

1. The city ran into many problems when they were building the subway.
a)   considered
b)   encountered
c)   did not have

2. We returned home as soon as it began to rain.
a)   when
b)   before
c)   much later after

3. You can imagine that if something goes in one of your ears and out the other that you do not remember it. What does to go in one ear and out the other mean in the following sentence?

My friend never listens to me. Everything that I say goes in one ear and out the other.
a)   is heard by him but then it is soon forgotten
b)   is heard by him and he remembers it easily
c)   is very difficult for him to understand

4. Recently, many things have come up and I have not been able to finish my school project.
a)   not happened
b)   happened unexpectedly
c)   made me angry

5. The name of my former teacher is on the tip of my tongue.
a)   really very difficult to pronounce
b)   something that I cannot remember but I am sure that I know it
c)   something that I cannot remember at all

6. Originally, when you had a lottery, you would pick or draw a piece of paper that had a prize named on it. Sometimes, you would draw a blank (a blank piece of paper) and fail to receive a prize. What does to draw a blank mean in the following sentence?

I drew a blank when I tried to remember my professor's name.
a)   partly remembered everything
b)   failed to remember anything
c)   became rather tired

7. The man likes to engage in small talk when he waits for a bus.
a)   talk very fast
b)   talk only to his friends
c)   talk about unimportant things

8. The woman has no money and she is now in a bind.
a)   very angry
b)   in trouble
c)   very tired

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Yes/No Questions

Answer the following questions with a yes or no answer and then explain your answer:

1. My friend ran into some problems when he was getting his passport. Was it easy for him to get the passport?
a)   Yes
b)   No

2. The dog escaped as soon as I opened the door. Did the dog escape before the door was opened?
a)   Yes
b)   No

3. Everything that I say to my friend goes in one ear and out the other. Is the friend a careful listener?
a)   Yes
b)   No

4. If something important comes up, we will cancel the meeting. Will the meeting be canceled for sure?
a)   Yes
b)   No

5. The name of the train station is on the tip of the man's tongue. Does the man remember the name?
a)   Yes
b)   No

6. The woman drew a blank when she tried to remember the man's name. Did she remember the man's name?
a)   Yes
b)   No

7. The two women were engaged in small talk before the movie started. Were they having a serious conversation?
a)  Yes
b)  No

8. The company is in a bind now that many employees have quit. Is the company in trouble?
a)  Yes
b)  No

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Grammar Focus

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

1. I ran _________________ a crazy person in the supermarket.
a)   in
b)   into
c)   to

2. The theater lights went out as soon ______________ the movie started.
a)   us
b)   is
c)   as

3. We always tell the employee how to do things but it always goes in one ear and _______________ the other.
a)   up
b)   in
c)   out

4. Some important business came _______________ so we did not go to the meeting.
a)   up
b)   in
c)   over

5. The name of the singer is _________________ the tip of my tongue.
a)   on
b)   in
c)   over

6. I asked the man a question but I just drew _____________________.
a)   blanks
b)   the blank
c)   a blank

7. The two women in the laundry room were engaged _______________ small talk.
a)  in
b)  on
c)  to

8. The driver was ______________ a bind when he learned that his car had no gas.
a)  on
b)  in
c)  under

Your score is: ___  out of 8




Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Have you ever run into problems at a bank?

2. Have you recently run into trouble anywhere else?

3. What do you usually do as soon as you return home from school or work?

4. What would you do as soon as you lost a credit card?

5. Do things go in one ear and out the other for anyone who you know?

6. Has anything that someone said gone in one ear and out the other for you?

7. Has anything unexpected come up in your life recently?

8. Do you think that something unexpected may come up for you soon?

9. Have you ever had the name of someone on the tip of your tongue?

10. Do you sometimes have the name of a singer or actor on the tip of your tongue but you cannot remember him or her?

11. Have you drawn a blank about anything recently?

12. Did someone ever draw a blank when you asked him or her a question?

13. Do you like to engage in small talk with people who you do not know?

14. Do you know anyone who always wants to engage you in small talk?

15. Are you in a bind about anything right now?

16. Have you ever been in a bind because a business or office was closed?

Role Play

Student A: You are talking to a friend and you are telling the friend about a recent holiday that you took in a certain city. However, you cannot remember any of the names of the places that you visited. Every place is on the tip of your tongue but you cannot remember any of them.

Student B: You also visited the same places as your friend. You know some of the names and you are trying to describe the places to help your friend remember them.

lesson 45