Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
John: Expressions Related to Mediation
John: I'm John.
Sydney: And I'm Sydney!
John: In this lesson, you'll learn expressions related to mediation.
John: You may hear these expressions when someone is trying to mediate a conflict.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
John: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Sydney: to let off steam
Sydney: water under the bridge
Sydney: to come up with
Sydney: rock the boat
John: Sydney, what's our first expression?
Sydney: to let off steam
John: meaning "to calm down when angry or upset."
Sydney: [SLOW] to let off steam [NORMAL] to let off steam
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: to let off steam
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: The phrase, "to let off steam" or "blow off steam" actually originated from the slow release of pressure in a steam engine. Nowadays, it’s used metaphorically to express what someone does to calm down when he or she’s angry or upset.
Sydney: Many people "let off steam" by talking to friends, reading a good book, or just taking a break.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] Talking to friends about your problems is a great way to let off steam. [SLOW] Talking to friends about your problems is a great way to let off steam.
Sydney: [NORMAL] Talking to friends about your problems is a great way to let off steam.
John: Okay, what's the next expression?
Sydney: water under the bridge
John: meaning "a mistake that has been forgiven."
Sydney: [SLOW] water under the bridge [NORMAL] water under the bridge
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: water under the bridge
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: The phrase, "water under the bridge" refers to an unfortunate or regrettable situation that can no longer be rectified or changed. You can use this phrase to forgive a friend who has done something wrong or when talking about a past situation in which you wish you had done something differently.
Sydney: It’s good to note that this phrase is only used when talking about past events that are no longer important.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] Don't worry about it, it’s all water under the bridge now. [SLOW] Don't worry about it, it’s all water under the bridge now.
Sydney: [NORMAL] Don't worry about it, it’s all water under the bridge now.
John: Okay, what's our next expression?
Sydney: to come up with
John: meaning "to create; to generate an idea."
Sydney: [SLOW] to come up with [NORMAL] to come up with
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: to come up with
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: The phrase, "to come up with" means "to think of, create, discover or make something." This phrase is usually used to solicit ideas from others, or to let someone know of an idea that you've thought of on your own.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] I know this is a serious issue, but I've come up with a solution. [SLOW] I know this is a serious issue, but I've come up with a solution.
Sydney: [NORMAL] I know this is a serious issue, but I've come up with a solution.
John: Okay, what's the last expression?
Sydney: rock the boat
John: meaning "to upset the status quo, to disturb."
Sydney: [SLOW] rock the boat [NORMAL] rock the boat
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: rock the boat
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: If you're literally "rocking the boat," then you're doing something to make a boat sway from side to side. But as an idiom, this means "to upset the status quo, to disturb."
Sydney: "Rocking the boat" is similar to the phrase "let sleeping dogs lie." It means that you shouldn't say or do something to disturb a situation if it's adequate.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to rock the boat." [SLOW] "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to rock the boat."
Sydney: [NORMAL] "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to rock the boat."
QUIZ
John: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I will describe four situations, and you will choose the right expression to use in your reply. Are you ready?
John: Two friends come together after fighting.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: water under the bridge
John: "a mistake that has been forgiven"
John: A boy punches the wall to calm down after getting in a fight.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: to let off steam
John: "to calm down when angry or upset"
John: Many people hide their opinions as not to upset others.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: rock the boat
John: "to upset the status quo, to disturb"
John: A student thinks of an idea for his project.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: to come up with
John: "to create; to generate an idea"

Outro
John: There you have it; you have mastered four English Slang Expressions! We have more vocab lists available at EnglishClass101.com so be sure to check them out. Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Sydney: Goodbye!

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