Idioms
After a long day of hiking in the Green Mountains, Sarah and Mark stopped at a local ice cream shop in Rutland for a well-deserved ice cream cone. The ice cream scooper, noticed their tired faces, and offered them a round of their favorite scoops, saying, "Hey, you two look like you could use a break. It's on the house.".
What is the meaning of this phrase?
an item is free of charge
Sarah forgot to pack her homework in her backpack this morning. When she got to school, she realized it was still on her desk at home.
Cause: Sarah forgot to pack her homework.
Effect: She couldn’t turn in her homework at school and felt embarrassed when the teacher asked her about it.
Liam is walking around the neighborhood, calling for his dog, Max. He is sweating, his brow is furrowed, and his voice shakes a little as he calls out.
What emotions might Liam be feeling? Why?
Liam is feeling worried, anxious, scared, and nervous.
He does not know where Max is.
A group of students is working on a science project together. One student, Alex, suggests using a model of the solar system made out of clay. Another student, Sam, thinks it would be better to make a poster. The rest of the group is unsure of what to do, and everyone has different ideas.
Pick a student and talk about their perspective. Could there be a compromise?
Alex: "I think the clay model would be really fun because I love working with my hands, and I think it’ll look cool."
Sam: "I’d rather do a poster because I’m better at drawing and I think a big poster would show all the details we need."
Compromise: "We could try both! Maybe we can make a clay model for the planets and then put it on a big poster as the background. This way, both ideas are included."
You're at a friend's house for a game night, and it's getting late. So you say, "Well, it's been fun, but I better hit the road. I need to get home before my mom starts to worry.
What do you mean by "I better hit the road"
You are say that you need to get going or you have to leave
Luke, a new marketing intern, was tasked with brainstorming ideas for a new video game idea. After a few hours of unproductive brainstorming, his boss, Alexis, suggested a different way of thinking. Luke, after hearing Alexis' suggestion, exclaimed, "Wow, you really hit the nail on the head! That's exactly what I was thinking but couldn't get the words out."
What did Luke mean when he said Alexis "hit the nail on the head"
She did or said something exactly right
Sam was running around the kitchen while holding a glass of juice. He tripped over a toy on the floor, and the juice spilled everywhere.
Cause: Sam was running and holding a glass of juice.
Effect: The juice spilled, and he had to clean it up, which took extra time.
Samantha jumps up and cheers after making the final basketball shot. She high-fives her teammates and is smiling widely.
How is Samantha feeling? Why does she feel this way?
Samantha is feeling excited, proud, and energetic.
Her team had just won the game and she made the last shot.
Two friends, Taylor and Jordan, are playing on the playground. Taylor loves playing tag, but Jordan wants to play on the swings. Both friends are upset because they want to do different things.
What should Jordan do to let Taylor know she does not want to play tag today without hurting Taylor's feelings? What would be a compromise?
Taylor: "I love running and being active, and tag is my favorite game. I feel frustrated because I want to play tag now, but Jordan doesn’t want to."
Jordan: "I love swinging because it helps me relax and have fun. I feel upset that Taylor doesn’t want to play what I want."
Compromise: "Maybe we can take turns—play tag for a while, and then swing for a bit? We can make sure both of us get to do what we like."
"Despite the bustling city, Rowan found a quiet coffee shop in the heart of Rutland, a perfect place to catch up on some reading and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere."
What does "in the heart of..." mean?
in the middle of or the main part
Emily, a seasoned barista at the local coffee shop, effortlessly prepares a latte for a regular customer. "Just like always, right?" she asks, already pouring the milk and espresso. "I know your order by heart!" the customer chuckles, "You always get it perfect."
What does Emily mean when she says, "I know your order by heart"
She has the order memorized
Scenario: Mia woke up late because her alarm didn’t go off. As a result, she rushed through breakfast and didn’t have time to pack her lunch. When she got to school, she felt stressed and tired.
Cause: Mia woke up late, and her alarm didn’t go off.
Effect: She had to rush and didn’t pack a lunch, which made her feel stressed at school.
Ethan sits on the floor staring at his broken toy car, his face scrunched up, and he crosses his arms tightly.
What emotions is Ethan feeling right now? Why is he feeling this way?
Ethan is feeling frustrated or upset.
His toy is broken.
Mia forgot to turn in her homework. Her classmate, Lily, offers to help by giving Mia her own completed homework to copy. Mia feels uncomfortable because she knows copying is wrong. Lily doesn’t understand why Mia won’t just accept the offer, thinking Mia is being too strict.
Why might Mia not want to copy? How might Lily feel if her offer is turned down? How can Mia express her feelings in a way Lily will understand?
Mia: "I don’t want to copy Lily’s homework because that’s not fair, and I might get in trouble. I feel bad because I forgot, but I think copying is wrong."
Lily: "I just want to help Mia. I don’t understand why she won’t just take my homework because I think it will make things easier for her."
Expressing Feelings: "Mia could say, 'I appreciate your offer, but I don’t feel comfortable copying. Maybe I can talk to the teacher and explain what happened.' Lily could respond, 'I understand, Mia. I just wanted to help, and I respect your decision.'"
Patrick, feeling overwhelmed with his upcoming presentation, confided in his friend, Sam, "I'm feeling so stressed about this presentation. Could you lend an ear and just listen while I vent?"
What is Patrick asking Sam to do by "lending an ear"?
Patrick wants Sam to listen to him while he talks about his problems.
The basketball team's next game is against their city rivals. To have their best chance at a win I'm sure the coaches have a few tricks up their sleeve.
What does it mean to "have a few tricks up their sleeve?"
They have a secret plan, idea, or trick
Scenario: Alex was playing with his favorite toy car, but he was pulling on the wheels too hard. The wheels broke off, and the toy car didn’t work anymore.
Cause: Alex pulled too hard on the wheels of the toy car.
Effect: The wheels broke off, and now the toy car doesn’t work.
Emma blushes and smiles when her friend tells her she did a great job on the class project. She looks down and quietly says, "Thank you."
How is Emma feeling? WHy is she feeling this way?
Emma is feeling shy, happy, or embarrassed.
Emma is happy that she received a compliment but we can tell that she does not like all the attention because she is blushing and looking down at the floor, which shows some embarrassment.
Emma is invited to a birthday party but isn’t sure if she should go. She loves hanging out with her friends but doesn’t know if she should attend because she might feel overwhelmed in a big crowd. Her friend, Grace, is upset because Emma might not come, and Grace really wants her there.
What could Emma say to Grace to explain her worries? What might Grace feel about the situation? How can both understand each other’s needs and come to a solution?
Emma: "I want to go to the party because I like hanging out with my friends, but I’m nervous about all the people and noise. I don’t know if I’ll have a good time."
Grace: "I really want Emma to come because we’re close friends, and it would be so fun if we could hang out together at the party."
Expressing feelings: "Emma could say, 'I’d love to come, but I might need a break if it gets too loud. Can we find a quiet spot if I need one?' Grace could respond, 'I understand, Emma. I’m glad you’ll be there, and I’ll make sure you’re comfortable.'"
After a daring escape from the Rutland library, the thief sprinted down Main Street, but the police were hot on his heels, their sirens wailing as they closed in.
What does it mean that the police were "hot on his heels"
They were right behind him
Eliza, despite her gruff exterior, always offered a helping hand to anyone in need, truly proving she had a heart of gold.
What kind of person is Eliza if she has a heart of gold?
She is a kind or generous person
Scenario: Lily decided to clean her room before her mom came home. She picked up all the toys, made the bed, and put the clothes in the laundry basket. When her mom came home, she was happy to see the room looking neat.
Cause: Lily cleaned her room.
Effect: Her mom was pleased and praised her for keeping the room tidy.
Jack stares out the window at the pouring rain, sighing deeply. He slouches in his chair and looks around the room for something to do.
What emotions is Jack feeling? Why is he feeling this way?
Jack is feeling bored or disappointed
The rain is preventing Jack from going outside to play.
A new student, Max, has joined the class. Some students are excited to meet him, but others are unsure how to approach him. One student, Ben, feels nervous and doesn't know what to say. Max feels a little isolated and wonders if anyone will be his friend.
How might Max feel being the new kid? Why might Ben feel nervous about talking to Max? What could Ben do to show Max that he’s friendly and open to making new friends?
Max: "I’m a little nervous because I don’t know anyone here. I feel kind of lonely and wish someone would talk to me."
Ben: "I want to be friendly, but I don’t know what to say to Max because I’m shy and afraid he might not want to talk to me."
Connect: "Ben could say, 'Hi, I’m Ben! I know it’s hard being new, but if you want, we could play together at recess.' Max could respond, 'Thanks, I’d really like that.'"
After a heated debate about the best route to the Vermont State Fair, Liz and Freddy, who used to be the best of friends, haven't spoken in weeks. Liz, feeling the strain of the silence, decides to initiate a conversation. She approaches Freddy, and says, "Okay, Freddy, let's just bury the hatchet. We can agree to disagree about the route, but we don't need to let this ruin our friendship."
What did Liz mean when she told Freddy she wanted to "bury the hatchet".
Liz wanted to make peace and resolve a quarrel or disagreement, to end a period of conflict and become friendly again.