Mini-lesson 1.1

Question 1

about to

Answer 1

almost ready to

The water is about to boil.

Быть готовым сделать что-то; быть готовым сделать что-то в следующий момент.

Question 2

above all

Answer 2

most importantly

Above all, I’d like to thank my family.

Question 3

add up

Answer 3

to seem reasonable or likely

Watson claimed he was at home at the time of the murder, but police said his story didn’t add up.

Question 4

all at once

Answer 4

suddenly, without warning

Question 5

as a matter of facts

Answer 5

in reality; used to add emphasis to what you are saying, or to show that it is the opposite of or different from what went before

“Have you always lived here?” “As a matter of fact (= the truth is), I’ve only lived here for the last three years.”

Question 6

as a rule

Answer 6

usually; generally

As a general rule, I don’t read detective novels.

Question 7

at ease

Answer 7

relaxed; calm

The president seemed at ease during the press conference and even cracked a few jokes.

Question 8

at the drop of a hat

Answer 8

do it immediately without stopping to think about it

I hate to speak in public, but she’ll get up on stage at the drop of a hat.

I can’t go on the road at the drop of a hat now.

Question 9

back out (of)

Answer 9

to decide not to do something that you had said you would do

The buyer backed out of the deal the day before they were due to sign the contract.

Question 10

bank on

Answer 10

depend on

Don’t bank on your relatives to help you out of trouble.

Question 11

be my guest

Answer 11

do what you want, feel free

Question 12

be rusty

Answer 12

need practice or review

Question 13

beats me

Answer 13

It beats me why he does it.

выше моего понимания

Question 14

better of

Answer 14

in a more satisfactory situation than you were before

I know you’re unhappy that the relationship ended, but you’re better off without him.

Question 15

bite off more than you can chew

Answer 15

to try to do something that is too difficult for you

We bit off more than we could chew in our original reform proposals.

Question 16

bound to

Answer 16

Something was bound to happen.

Что-то должно было произойти.

Question 17

break-in

Answer 17

you train them to do a new job or activity/to interrupt when someone else is talking

The boss did not believe in breaking his team in gently./As she was talking, he suddenly broke in, saying, “That’s a lie.”

Question 18

break the ice

Answer 18

to make people who have not met before feel more relaxed with each other/to do or say something that makes people who do not know each other feel more comfortable

Someone suggested that we play a party game to break the ice.

Question 19

break the news

Answer 19

to tell someone about something bad that has just happened and may have an effect on them

I was devastated when the doctor broke the news to me.

Question 20

a breeze

Answer 20

something very simple and easy to do

Question 21

bring about

Answer 21

to cause something to happen

He brought about his company’s collapse by his reckless spending./Harold’s working to bring about changes in the industry.

Question 22

bring up

Answer 22

to care for a child until they are an adult, often giving them particular beliefs/to start to talk about a particular subject

She was brought up by her grandmother./She’s always bringing up her health problems.

Question 23

brush up on

Answer 23

to improve your knowledge of something already learned but partly forgotten

I thought I’d brush up (on) my French before going to Paris.

Question 24

by and large

Answer 24

when everything about a situation is considered together; mostly; generally

There are a few small things that I don’t like about my job, but by and large it’s very enjoyable.

Question 25

by heart

Answer 25

to learn something in such a way that you can say it from memory

She baked muffins from recipes she knew by heart.

Question 26

by no means

Answer 26

not at all

It is by no means certain that we’ll finish the project by June.