IDIOM CONNECTION

Happiness Idioms and Some Good News

Introduction

Do you know anyone who is super happy at the moment?

Reading

Two days ago I went to visit my friend. My friend is usually kind of sad and depressed and I sometimes need to cheer her up. This time was different. She was more than in good spirits. She was bursting with joy. I did not know what could account for such happiness. I ruled out a new boyfriend because I definitely would have heard about that. I did not know what it could be. When I talked to her, I found out why she was so happy. She had just learned that she could enter her favorite university. She was sitting on top of the world and was the happiest person that I had ever seen.

Reading Questions

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

1. Is the friend usually kind of sad?

2. Does the woman sometimes need to cheer her friend up?

3. Was her friend in good spirits this time?

4. Was her friend bursting with joy?

5. Did she know what could account for her friend's happiness?

6. Did she rule anything out?

7. Did she finally find out why her friend was so happy?

8. Why was her friend sitting on top of the world?

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. something is kind of expensive
a) something is very expensive
b) something is moderately expensive

2. someone is trying to cheer up her friend
a) someone is saying cheers with her friend
b) someone is trying to make her friend happy

3. someone is in good spirits
a) someone is happy
b) someone is not doing well

4. To burst means to break or crack or explode. What does it mean when someone is bursting with joy?
a) someone is a little sad
b) someone is very happy

5. something accounts for something
a) something provides an explanation for something
b) something is used to count something

6. someone rules out something
a) someone eliminates something as a possibility
b) someone does not eliminate something as a possibility

7. someone finds out something
a) someone learns a new piece of information
b) someone finds something that they have lost

8. someone is sitting on top of the world
a) someone is sitting down
b) someone is feeling very good

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. The man was kind of tired after the weekend. Was he very tired after the weekend?
a) Yes
b) No

2. The girls were trying to cheer up their friend. Was their friend sad?
a) Yes
b) No

3. Our boss is not in good spirits today. Does he seem to be in a bad mood?
a) Yes
b) No

4. The little girl is bursting with joy. Is the little girl happy?
a) Yes
b) No

5. The fruit was not good this year. The cold weather accounts for that. Was there a reason for the bad fruit this year?
a) Yes
b) No

6. The school ruled out giving more money to the sports team. Will the sports team get more money from the school?
a) Yes
b) No

7. The teacher is trying to find out who broke the window. Does the teacher know who broke the window?
a) Yes
b) No

8. The woman is sitting on top of the world. Is she happy?
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 was _____________ tired last night.
a)   kind to
b)   kind off
c)   kind of

2. Last evening we tried to ________________ our friend.
a)   cheer down
b)   cheer over
c)   cheer up

3. The man is ___________________ today.
a)   in good spirits
b)   in good spirit
c)   in good spiritual

4. The little boy is __________________.
a)   bursting with joy
b)   burst with joy
c)   bursted with joy

5. The rainy weather _________________ the bad driving conditions.
a)   accounts to
b)   accounts for
c)   accounts on

6. The football team _____________ using the best player in the game tonight.
a)   ruled out
b)   ruled to
c)   ruled in

7. I am trying to ___________ my uncle's travel schedule.
a)  find over
b)  find in
c)  find out

8. The young man passed his exams and now he is _______________________.
a)  sitting on top of the world
b)  sitting on the world
c)  sitting in top to the world

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Are you kind of a quiet person?

2. Are you kind of tired some days and do not want to do anything?

3. Do you know someone who you would like to cheer up?

4. Has anyone had to cheer you up recently?

5. Are you usually in good spirits?

6. Do you know anyone who is never in good spirits?

7. Have you been bursting with joy recently?

8. What is a good reason to be bursting with joy?

9. Do you always know what accounts for the different moods that people have?

10. What accounts for the bad manners that some people have?

11. Is there anyone who you would rule out as a friend?

12. Is there any place that you would rule out as a place to go for a holiday?

13. Is there anything that you want to find out right now?

14. How do you find out something that you want to know?

15. Are you sitting on top of the world right now?

16. Do you know anyone who is sitting on top of the world at the moment?

Role Play

Student A: Today you are in very good spirits. You are bursting with joy. Usually you are quiet and do not seem to be so happy.

Student B: You meet your friend and try to see what accounts for the fantastic mood that he or she seems to be in.

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