at the shore

C H A P T E R 5

A T T H E S H O R E

(Scene: Josmario and Getulio, two young men from Brazil, are sitting on the beach at a seashore resort town in New Jersey, speaking with Rich, an American who is waxing his surfboard).

Josmario: This beach is beautiful! I thought all the beaches in New Jersey were polluted and
littered with garbage.

Rich: No way, man! Of course, this beach is a far cry from the way it was a few years back. The
State's E. P. A. - the Environmental Protection Agency - makes sure that the beaches are
cleaned up.

Getulio: It is so beautiful here! Look at those waves! I can't wait to get into the water!

Rich: I've seen guys really get carried away by the surf here. Stay cool. You don't want to rush
out there. There are some mean undertows. I've seen expert swimmers nearly drown in these
waters.

Getulio: You have a beautiful surfboard.

Rich: It's a real knockout, isn't it. I'm really into surfing. It's great to cut loose from work and
school and hit the beach. When I'm riding the waves, I feel incredibly free! So much of life is
simply run-of-the-mill. When I'm out on the waves, I'm alive!

Josmario: And Rich, you're working down here all summer?

Rich: That's right. I'm flipping burgers at night. It leaves me plenty of time to surf during the day.
I like the looks of those breakers out there!

Getulio: Well, Josmario and I regret that we can only come down for the weekends.

Rich: You guys will still have a real blast down here.

Josmario: I did some surfing back in Brazil, but I don't have a surfboard here.

Rich: Never mind. I've got an old one you can use. It's been kicked around by the waves, but it'll
work for you. I'll give it the once-over just to be certain that it's all right.

Getulio: What about that tall girl over there in the wet suit? Does she surf?

Rich: She's out here everyday, no matter how rough the waves are. She can really handle a board.
And she really knows how to read the waves. Some of these kids who try to surf have nothing
upstairs. They get themselves into dangerous situations or they get themselves injured.

Josmario: That fellow over by the refreshment stand with the purple board is looking at you.

Rich: Keep an eye on my board. That guy owes me some money. He's been giving me the
runaround. I've got to talk to him!

Getulio: The ocean is majestic. The waves, the sky, the smell of the air - it takes my breath away!

Josmario: This will be a summer to remember!

EXERCISES:

Exercise 1:Select the meaning of the following idioms most appropriate to the above dialogue.
An answer key is at the end of the chapter.

1. No way: (a) To be stuck, (b) not possible, (c) no choice

2. Far cry: (a) something difficult to hear, (b) a call of danger, (c) something different from
previously expected.

3. Clean up: (a) make presentable, (b) to shine, (c) to scrub

4. Knockout: (a) impressive looking, (b) a punch in the face, (c) to fall into unconsciousness

5. Get carried away: (a) to exaggerate, (b) to be physically restrained, (c) to be lifted in the air

6. Stay cool: (a) to avoid heat, (b) to remain calm, (c) to sit in air conditioning

7. Cut loose: (a) to sever, (b) to employ a knife, (c) to go beyond restraint

8. To be into: (a) to intensely enjoy, (b) to fall upon, (c) to exaggerate

9. To have a real blast: (a) to witness an explosion, (b) to be thrown in the air, (c) to have a
great party.

10. Once-over:(a) an appraising look, (b) a brief glance, (c) a rejection

11. Run-of-the-mill: (a) common, (b) produced by a mill, (c) a jogger

12. To like the looks of: (a) to make an assessment based upon observation or examination, (b)
physical expressions, (c) external description

13. Runaround: (a) to waste one's time, (b) to exercise, (c) to chase outside

14. Nothing upstairs: (a) not cheerful, (b) not talkative, (c) not intelligent

15. Take one's breath away: (a) to steal, (b) to tremendously impress by one's beauty or skill, (c)
to cut the flow of oxygen.

16. Keep an eye on: (a) to protect, (b) to look at, (c) to touch briefly

Exercise 2:Fill in the correct idiom from the above list. An answer key is at the end of this
chapter.

1. There was nothing special about the performance. I had seen similar acts many times. It was
strickly ___________________________.

2. When Jill entered the room, everyone was struck by her beauty. As for myself, she took my
________________.

3. Whenever Julio walks in dangerous areas of the city, he tries to relax and _____________.

4. Ophelia said that she would _______________________________my apartment while I
travel to Jordan.

5. While waiting for the bus in New York, Boris suddenly got an uncomfortable feeling. He
didn't like _______________________ three young men who were approaching him.

6. There was __________that I would miss the game in the Meadowlands. A world soccer event
was to be held in my home town of Secaucus!

7. Janine was disappointed with Freddy. She found him pleasant but in terms of knowledge,
insight, and experience, he had ________________________.

8. Manuela's trip to Japan was a _____________from what she had expected.

9. Cheryl has really gotten ________ collecting dolls. Her apartment is filled with them.

10. While Henry doesn't mind working in the bank, there are time he would like to __________
and try something else.

11. Gregg tried not to show it, but when Sylvia enters the room, I saw him give her the
___________.

12. I've been trying to get a direct answer from that company, but everytime I speak with one of
their representatives, I feel that I'm getting the ____________________.

13. When Marty turns thirty, his friends have promised him that they would have a
____________ in his honor.

14. Just because you have received a notice stating that you have won a prize, don't get________
It might just be an inducement to buy something.

15. Helmut's new car is exceptional. Anyway you consider it, it's a real _______________.

16. Children, it is time to stop playing. First, I want you to pick up the toys. Everyone must help
in _____________the room.

Exercise 3:Use the following idioms in a spoken sentence of your own creation.

1. No way: _______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2. Far cry: ________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

3. Clean up: ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

4. A real knockout: ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

5. Get carried away: ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

6. Stay cool: ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

7. Cut loose: ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

8. Really into: _____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

9. Have a real blast: ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

10. Once-over: ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

11. Run-of-the-mill: __________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

12. The looks of: ____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

13. (Give the) runaround: _____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

14. Nothing upstairs: _________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

15. Take one's breath away: ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

16. Keep an eye on: __________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Exercise 4:Examine the previous sentences and decide which of them would be more suitable for formal written expression through the use of synonyms. Rewrite those sentences using precise, appropriate synonyms.

Answers to exercise 1: 1 (b), 2 (c), 3 (a), 4 (a), 5 (a), 6 (b), 7 (c), 8 (a), 9 (c), 10 (a), 11 (a), 12
(a), 13 (a), 14 (c), 15 (b), 16 (a).

Answers to exercise 2:
    1. run-of-the-mill                              9. into
    2. breath away                              10. cut loose
    3. stay cool                                    11. once-over
    4. keep an eye on                        12. runaround
    5. the looks of                               13. real blast
    6. no way                                       14. carried away
    7. nothing upstairs                        15. knockout
    8. far cry                                         16. cleaning up

© Charles Bordogna 2002