Speak Out -

Unit 23

English Dialogue

Stella: Guess what happened today at work?

Renee: One of your co-workers hit on you again?

Stella: Yeah! How did you know? Im telling you, Renee, theyre so in love with me.

Renee: Isnt that what you said about the guys at church?

Stella: You make it sound like Im lying. Im seriousthese guys worship the ground I walk on.

-->Im serious-these guys like me.

Renee: Stella, those men are as ancient as dinosaurs. I wouldnt be so excited about old grandpas

being in love with me.

-->Stella, those men are really old.

Stella: Well, theyre not just in love with me. They think Im a genius.

-->Well, theyre not just in love with me. They think Im smart.

Renee: It never ends with you. When are you going to wake up and smell the coffee?

Stella: Youre not very nice, you know that? Youre just jealous.

Renee: Jealous of what you being the most gullible person in the world?

Translation

Stella: ? Renee: ? Stella: ! ? ... , .

1

Speak Out -

Renee: .

Stella: . . . Renee: , . . Stella: . . Renee: . ? Stella : . ? . Renee: ? ?

Expression / Technique Master Note

Todays Technique: Exaggerating

Exaggeration is a common technique in the conversation where you want to point out a particular

situation or thought. This technique can also be called as hyperbole. The speaker may use this technique

in order to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression on a particular thing. It can be difficult

to spot for the beginners but hyperbole is quite common sense to understand for the advanced level

students. The key is that this is NOT meant to be taken literally. For example, he has a brain the size of

a pea. Of course, nobody has the brain as a little as a pea. But it means he is not very smart or more

directly stated stupid.

-worship the ground I walk on: In order to clearly understand this expression, the mental image of the

expression can help. Try to imagine a group of people worshiping the ground that somebody walking on.

This act would show the adoration or love to that person since the group is not just worshiping the person

but the ground that the person walked on.

Ex) He worship the ground I walk on. = He really loves me.

-as ancient as dinosaurs: This expression is used to emphasize that someone or something is really old.

Of course, nothing can be as old as dinosaurs but that is the point here. Since nobody and not many things

can be as old as dinosaurs, when you compare someone or something with dinosaurs youre putting

emphasis on the fact that someone or something is very old. You can also you as old as the hills.

-they think Im a genius: This is a common exaggeration expression. It does not take a lot to be a smart

person but to be a genius, its a different story. Of course, a genius is referred to someone who is naturally

talented and naturally better than the most of people. Therefore, when you say Im a genius it does not

2

Speak Out -

literally mean I am in fact a genius but youre saying I did something good and should be praised for it.

You can also say youre as smart as Einstein or you are Einstein.

Todays Expressions

-end with: ~ ,

-wake up and smell the coffee: , Ex) Stop dreaming! Wake up and smell the coffee.

-gullible person: , Ex) Lisa is a gullible person, she would believe anything I tell her.

3