21

Question 1

born and raised

Answer 1

“I was born and raised in Minnesota”
i born in Qom but i raised in tehran
I’m a native/from of Qom/iran
I’m from tehran/ originally I’m from Qom

Question 2

spring chicken

Answer 2

“I won’t say how long ago that was, but let’s just say I’m no spring chicken.”
to be very young
he is no spring chicken = he is old, he is not young

Question 3

swear

Answer 3

–I was the baby of the family, but I swear I wasn’t spoiled!)
to promise
to say truthfully / to promise you are telling the truth
to use bad language ham mishe

Question 4

spoiled

Answer 4

“I was the baby of the family, but I swear I wasn’t spoiled!) “
to get every thing you want and not be appreciate
“a spoil brat” = bache loos ke hame chi dashte with no deciplin

Question 5

happy childhood

Answer 5

“I had a mostly happy childhood”

Question 6

keeping up with the Joneses.

Answer 6

“My father and mother didn’t have a lot of money, but we were never worried about keeping up with the Joneses.”
trying to be as good as your neighbour, or try to have as much money as someone else
to be competing / tone try to be rich as some on els

Question 7

grade school

Answer 7

“I went to grade school near my house,”
elementary school
primary school

Question 8

went on to

Answer 8

"I went on to the University of Minnesota to get my bachelor's degree"
to continue (education)
he went to the uni of London and then went on to Nottingham

Question 9

to learn the ropes

Answer 9

“It took me a while to learn the ropes at the university, but I finally graduated nearly 6 years later”
to get use to/ to get a custom to/ to be able to understand what the presiders are
‘i started a new job yesterday, its difficult but i eventually i will learn the ropes’ = i will learn how to do all the things i need to do

Question 10

Better late than never

Answer 10

“Better late than never, as my father used to say. “

very common expression

Question 11

to become

Answer 11

“I decided to become a teacher,”

to be sth

Question 12

professional student

Answer 12

“I was starting to become a professional student”

informal expresión we use to describe people who go to school for very long time

Question 13

finished up

Answer 13

“Well, I finished up my degree in four years,”

to complete

Question 14

L.A

Answer 14

“Now, I work at a small research organisation here in L.A”

Question 15

happily married

Answer 15

“I am happily married,”

Question 16

Well, I was born and raised in Minnesota, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to be exact. I won’t say how long ago that was, but let’s just say I’m no spring chicken. I grew up there with my rather large family of 8 brothers and 2 sisters. (I was the baby of the family, but I swear I wasn’t spoiled!) We were 13 in all, probably the biggest family in the neighborhood, maybe in the state. I had a mostly happy childhood. My father and mother didn’t have a lot of money, but we were never worried about keeping up with the Joneses. I wasn’t much into sports like my brothers were, but I enjoyed reading and listening to music growing up. I went to grade school near my house, and then to a high school about 2 miles from where I lived. After graduating from high school, I went on to the University of Minnesota to get my bachelor’s degree. It took me a while to learn the ropes at the university, but I finally graduated nearly 6 years later.

Answer 16

Better late than never, as my father used to say. I then went to Mexico for a couple of years to teach English and to study Spanish. When I returned, I decided to become a teacher, so I went back to school to get my Master’s degree. After teaching for a few years, I was offered a job in California, so I moved to Los Angeles in 1991. After working here a few years, I went back to school (again!) to get my Ph.D. I was starting to become a professional student. Well, I finished up my degree in four years, and then taught at the university for several years. Now, I work at a small research organization here in L.A. I am happily married, and I still enjoy reading and listening to music, and, of course, hosting ESL Podcast.