IDIOM CONNECTION

lesson 46

Organize Idioms and a Clean Apartment

Introduction

Do you think that you have too many things?

Reading

I have too many things in my apartment and I want to dispose of some of these things. My apartment is crowded with clutter. Regardless of what you call it, I have too many things. It takes up too much of my time to clean and organize everything. Just trying to keep up my collection of magazines and books is a problem. However, I plan to get my act together and do something about this situation soon. First of all, I will throw away some of the old magazines that I have been saving. In a way, this may not seem like much but it will be a start. It will motivate me to do other things to deal with this problem and help me to organize my apartment.
clutter is a crowded and untidy collection of things

Reading Questions

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

1. Why is this person trying to dispose of some of his things?

2. Regardless of what you call it, does he have too many things?

3. What takes up much of his time?

4. What does he have a problem keeping up?

5. What is he going to get his act together and do?

6. First of all, what will he throw away?

7. In a way, how will this seem?

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. It is time that we dispose of our old refrigerator.
a)   stop talking about
b)   discard
c)   try to repair

2. Regardless of what time the game starts, I plan to attend.
a)   After carefully thinking about
b)   Without considering
c)   Thinking again about

3. The homework project will probably take up much of my time tomorrow.
a)   use
b)   free
c)   not affect

4. The man spends much time trying to keep up his coin collection.
a)   talk about
b)   dispose of
c)   maintain and organize

5. The man got his act together and found a new job.
a)   became less serious and organized
b)   began looking for an acting job
c)   became more serious and organized

6. First of all, I will buy some food for the party.
a)   The very first thing
b)   Soon
c)   Later

7. One meaning of away is out of one's possession or use. If you give something away, then you give something to someone. What would to throw something away mean in the following sentence?

I plan to throw away my old DVDs.
a)   discard
b)   save
c)   sell

8. In a way, the man is not a very good speaker.
a)   In many ways
b)   Absolutely
c)   To a certain extent

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Match the Sentence

Choose the answer that best matches each sentence:

1. It is difficult for the older couple to keep up their house.
a)   There are many things that they must do with their house.
b)   Their house is very convenient.
c)   Their house is very small.

2. I have a plan to throw away my old sofa.
a)   I do not want it anymore.
b)   I will decide what to do with it later.
c)   I do not want to sell it or discard it.

3. The young man cannot get his act together to clean his house.
a)   He likes his house.
b)   He is not a very organized person.
c)   He is a very organized person.

4. My friend wants to dispose of some of his things.
a)   His apartment is very nice.
b)   He has many things that he does not want.
c)   He is a good housekeeper.

5. In a way, the woman wants to take a holiday in the winter this year.
a)   She absolutely wants to take her holidays in the winter.
b)   She would probably be happy to take her holidays in the winter.
c)   A holiday in the winter would be terrible for her.

6. The new project is taking up much of my time.
a)   I will be busy with the new project soon.
b)   I am busy with the new project now.
c)   The new project is very difficult for me.

7. First of all, I must prepare for my holiday.
a)  I will prepare for my holiday sometime.
b)  Preparing for my holiday is not important to me.
c)  Preparing for my holiday is a priority for me.

8. “Please phone me regardless of the time.”
a)  “You can phone me late at night.”
b)  “Do not phone me late at night.”
c)  “Please phone me tomorrow.”

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Grammar Focus

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

1. My friend wants to dispose ____________ some of his books.
a)   at
b)   in
c)   of

2. Regardless _________________ how bad my favorite team is, I still like them.
a)   to
b)   of
c)   for

3. The meetings take ________________ much of my time.
a)   up
b)   in
c)   to

4. My friend spends much time to keep ________________ his music collection.
a)   over
b)   in
c)   up

5. The girl finally _______________ her act together and she is now looking for a job.
a)   got
b)   gets
c)   had gotten

6. When I arrive at the airport, first ________________ all I will check in.
a)   in
b)   to
c)   of

7. I _______________ away my old backpack yesterday.
a)  have thrown
b)  will throw
c)  threw

8. In ______________ way, I do not want to go to the restaurant this evening.
a)  the
b)  a
c)  an

Your score is: ___  out of 8




Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. What have you disposed of recently?

2. Did you ever dispose of an important item by mistake?

3. Do you like playing sports regardless of the weather?

4. Do you know anyone who will buy something regardless of how much money it costs?

5. What takes up much of your time now?

6. Did any subject take up much of your time in school?

7. Do you have anything that is difficult to keep up?

8. Do you think that an old and big house would be difficult to keep up?

9. Do you know anyone who cannot get his or her act together?

10. Can you usually get your act together when you need to do something important?

11. What do you do first of all every morning?

12. When you go to school what does the teacher usually do first of all?

13. Do you have anything that you would like to throw away?

14. Did you ever throw away something that you later regretted?

15. In a way, do you wish that you had studied something different in school?

16. What, in a way, was the worst vacation that you ever had?

Role Play

Student A: You have too many things in your apartment and you must dispose of some of these things. You are complaining to your friend about this situation.

Student B: You agree with your friend and you are also complaining about the same thing. It also takes much time to keep up your collections of things. You also need to dispose of some things and become more organized soon.

lesson 46