English conversations Flashcards
As a matter of fact
As a matter of fact is a common expression that has a number of different meanings. In our example conversation it introduces a confirmation of what was previously said. It can go before the main clause or after the verb.
I heard you were looking for a job. As a matter of fact, I am!
Your friend is very good-looking; is he single? He is, as a matter of fact!
Actually
You can express the same meaning with actually, but put it after the verb
I heard you were looking for a job. I am, actually
Your friend is beautiful, but I’ll bet she’s married She is, actually.
Glad/happy to meet you
When you have been introduced to someone, it is customary to say (I’m) glad/happy to meet you or It’s nice to meet you. The reply is I’m happy to meet you or I’m happy to meet you, too. (The underlined words are pronounced slightly louder than the others.)
To get in
To get in means to arrive and is usually used in the past tense.
What time did you get in?
They got in late last night.
To get in can also mean to be accepted by a school/college/university or other group with limited membership.
He applied to that college and really hopes to get in.
She didn’t get in her first choice of sororities, but she got in another one, and she’s happy.
Another way to say to arrive, when it refers to the future, is to get there.
I hope we get there on time.
She will get there by six.
I can assure you that . . . /you can be sure (that) . . ./I promise you that
These are common ways of saying that you believe something to be true, hoping to win the confidence of the person you are talking to.
I can assure you that I will work hard.
You can be sure that something interesting will happen
I promise you that we won’t leave until the work is done
Party animal
Party animal is an informal expression used to characterize someone who spends a lot of time with friends or acquaintances for entertainment—either at home or in public places.
My friend Eric will take you downtown on Saturday night; he’s a real party animal, so you’ll meet lots of people
Nonstop schedule
Nonstop schedule describes the activities of a very busy person, whether it be because of work, school, family responsibilities, or even social life.
I don’t have time to see you this week, with my nonstop schedule.
Other ways to indicate nonstop activity are around-the-clock or twentyfour-seven (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week).
I get telephone calls around-the-clock.
He works twenty-four-seven, so I hardly ever see him.
A mix
A mix refers to a combination of different elements, usually indicating variety.
There will be a good mix of music at the wedding, to keep the grandparents, the parents, and the young people happy.
We invited a mix of people—family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
Hopefully
Hopefully is a word inserted to indicate your wishes that something will happen. It can come in the middle of a verb phrase (will + hopefully + verb), before the subject, or at the end of a sentence.
I’ll hopefully graduate in two years.
Hopefully, I’ll graduate in two years.
I’ll graduate in two years, hopefully.
If we leave right away, hopefully we’ll arrive on time.
The local scene
The local scene refers to the culture and range of entertainment offered in a particular area.
I’m moving to Springfield next month. What’s the local scene like there?
Oh, it’s great! There are lots of things to do at night and on weekends.
To show someone a good time
To show someone a good time means to make sure he or she is entertained.
If you come visit in December, we’ll show you a good time. All our
friends have parties in December!
To be in good shape
To be in good shape means to be fit financially or situationally.
My sister’s husband has a good job, so they’re in good shape financially.
She has a good education and a lot of experience, so she’s in good shape for the job market.
To be in shape
To be in shape, means to be physically fit.
She exercises every day to stay in shape.
You look great. How do you stay in shape?
To have in store for
The phrase to have in store for indicates an unknown situation that someone presents to someone else; it can be good or bad.
Well, I’m going home, but I have no idea what my family will have in store for me.
We’re going shopping tomorrow to see what the designers have in store for us this season.
He’s been working there for years, but he never knows what’s in store for him until he gets there.
To show up on someone’s doorstep
To show up on someone’s doorstep means to visit someone without notice. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you plan to stay overnight—or longer—but it’s possible.
I was just getting ready to go out when my cousin showed up on my
doorstep.
To show up, on the other hand, is used negatively to indicate that someone often doesn’t appear when expected.
Pia said she was coming, but you never know if she’ll show up or
not.
Another meaning of show up, when used with a direct object, is to perform or seem better than someone else.
Your singing was fantastic! You showed up all the other contestants.
He will show up the competition with his fantastic speech.
Drop in/drop by
These are used only forshort visits—never an overnight stay.
We were in town, so we decided to drop in to see you.
Please drop by for a while. I miss seeing you.
hang out
Let’s just hang out at the park for a while
We’re going to hang out at John’s place tonight
They enjoy hanging out together on weekends
He hangs out at the coffee shop every morning
- 闲逛、消磨时间
2.与朋友或同事社交
3.随意地在一起
4.频繁出没于某个地方
