out to dinner

C H A P T E R 7

O U T T O D I N N E R

(Scene: Yelena, a young woman from Russia, dines with Anthony, a young American, in a contemporary, suburban restaurant).

Anthony: I'm really glad that you agreed to go out with me! And I'm glad that I arrived on time!
The traffic was terrible on Route 17.

Yelena: Thank you for inviting me out.

Anthony: It took me by surprise that you would go out with me.

Yelena: But why? You're a good-looking, intelligent person. I could tell from the way you act in
class. You certainly have good things to say to the professor.

Anthony: Sometimes, I put my foot in my mouth!

Yelena: You what!

Anthony: It's just an expression. I guess that I use a lot of common expressions. It's just the way I
was brought up. But getting back to the professor. At times, he just breaks me up by the
things he says.

Yelena: He's very knowledgeable on so many topics.

Anthony: Many of his comments go way over the heads of some of our classmates. I like the way
that he stands up for his ideas. He doesn't always say the predictable thing.

Yelena: He likes to challenge our opinions. Do you like to stand up for your beliefs?

Anthony: If I believe I'm right, I'll argue until I'm blue in the face! But I also like to try to calmly
talk things over. With some subjects, it's difficult to remain calm and in control.

Yelena: Of course, if you feel passionately about something, you must express it.

Anthony: In America too many people seem ready to compromise their convictions - their passion
if you will - to be accepted or not to make waves.

Yelena: Yes.... Perhaps we should order.

Anthony: I'm famished! No wonder. It's nearly eight o'clock. I usually eat at six. I'm not sure that
we'll be able to catch the movie at 9:30.

Yelena: You prefer not to stay?

Anthony: No. I'm just not used to planning evenings out. I don't go out on the town much. I work
so many hours that going out is often out of the question.

Yelena: Perhaps we should forget the movie. Why not have a nice, relaxing dinner?

Anthony: That sounds fine!

Yelena: Here comes the waitress. Are you ready to order?

Anthony: Sure enough! I always order the same thing when I eat out - surf and turf!

Yelena: Oh, Anthony, you're so...so American!

Anthony: Yea, I try to be.

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. On time: (a) punctual, (b) overly concerned with time, (c) to carry a watch

2. Take by surprise: (a) to be seized by emotion, (b) to be surprised, (c) to abduct

3. Put one's foot in one's mouth: (a) to be physically clumsy, (b) to say the wrong thing, (c) to
be very direct or honest

4. Brought up: (a) how one was taught in one's youth, (b) cultivated, (c) elevated

5. To break someone up: (a) to cause someone to cry, (b) to make someone laugh, (c) to
physically assault someone

6. Over one's head: (a) higher than one can reach, (b) beyond one's comprehension, (c) insulting
comments

7. Stand up for: (a) to rise from a seated position, (b) to defend one's convictions, (c) to stand
with the crowd

8. Blue in the face: (a) to change one's skin color, (b) to hyperventilate, (c) to argue until one is
physically exhausted

9. To make waves: (a) to cause a disturbance, (b) to move one's hands, (c) to swim quickly

10. No wonder: (a) without imagination, (b) dull, (c) without surprise

11. To catch something: (a) to receive, (b) to be on time for something or to possess something,
(c) to understand

12. Go out on the town: (a) evening entertainment, (b) go out dancing, (c) go to large cities

13. Out of the question: (a) not answered, (b) a confusing question, (c) impossible

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

1. My wife and I wanted to do something special for our anniversary. She thought that we
should ____________________________.

2. The cat just knocked over and broke her best vase. _________________she is in tears.

3. We would like to gather at the church at 8 a.m. I encourage you all to be _____________.

4. When you hold such beliefs so intensely, it is essential that you be ready to ___________
them.

5. Loan her more money? It is entirely ____________________________. She never paid me
back the money I loaned her last year!

6. She's the funniest comic on television. Whenever I see her perform, she just _____me______.

7. If we leave now, we'll be able to ________the 7:30 bus at the terminal.

8. The lecture by the eminent scholar was fascinating, but it was _____________________of
most of the audience.

9. The lawyer's vulgar comments were very unexpected. They ________me______________.

10. At times, when confronting a politically explosive situation, it is better to be quiet
and not ______________.

11. He still refuses to see things my way. Last night I argued with him until I was ____________.

12. Sometimes we learn the bad things in our early years. Not everyone is _____________with a
strong sense of right and wrong.

13. I knew as soon as I made the comment about her former marriage that I had said the wrong
thing. Leave it to me to ________________________________.

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

1. On time: _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2. To be taken by surprise: ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

3. To put one's foot in one's mouth:____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

4. Brought up: ____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

5. To break someone up: ____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

6. Over one's head: ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

7. Stand up for: ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

8. Blue in the face: _________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

9. Make waves: ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

10. No wonder: ____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

11. To catch something: _____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

12. Out on the town: _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

13. Out of the question: _____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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 (a), 2 (b), 3 (b), 4 (a), 5 (b), 6 (b), 7 (b), 8 (c), 9 (a), 10 (c), 11 (b), 12
(a), 13 (c).

Answers to exercise 2:
    1. go out on the town               8. over the head
    2. No wonder                           9. took me by surprise
    3. on time                               10. make waves
    4. stand up for                       11. blue in the face
    5. out of the question            12. brought up
    6. breaks me up                    13. put my foot in my mouth
    7. catch