Advanced English Conversations (2) - Robert Allans, Matt Edie, A. Mustafaoglu 2020

Set 18 - Start over with a clean slate

Mary: Today was the worst day ever. Nothing went my way. In the morning I was running late to an appointment. On my way there I hit every single red light. When I finally got there, I couldn’t find parking space. To cap it all off, I forgot my all my documents at home!

Suzan: Did you? Unbelievable! Sounds like nothing is going right for you.

Mary: Then, I left downtown in rush hour traffic and it took me ages to get home for what should have been a 20 minute drive. As I got home, the electricity went off and everyone was rushing about in a state of confusion.

Suzan: That’s completely over-the-top. Well; in such conditions and when I feel that the whole world is conspiring against me, I take a step back and I simply let it ride hoping to start over with a clean slate later on. It’s hard to put things in perspective when you’re overwhelmed.

Vocabulary;

go one’s way: to proceed or unfold in a manner that is beneficial to someone or is in line with their plans or desires.

to cap it all off: used when you mention something in addition to all the other (bad) things that have happened.

go right: things are developing as you intended or expected and you are pleased with it.

over-the-top: (adjective) outrageous; extreme.

rush hour: a time during each day when traffic is at its heaviest.

go off: to stop functioning.

a state of confusion: a state of bewilderment, misunderstanding or chaos.

take a step back: to withdraw or remove oneself from something, often in order to consider it from a broader or more objective perspective.

let it ride: to take no immediate action over something.

start with a clean slate: to start (something) again with a fresh beginning, especially unencumbered by mistakes or regrets from the past.

put things in perspective: to have a reasonable view of something.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. First, my car breaks down, then I lose the keys to my apartment— nothing's going my .......... today!

2. It would normally take me about 15 minutes to drive there, but during .......... hour, it can take 45 minutes or more.

3. You better go look for coffee in another department—our pot .......... off before it was finished brewing.

4. Let's put the cost of living into ..........; it costs more to live now than in the past, but now we have a better life than before.

5. I've been meaning to paint the shed all summer, but I keep letting it ..........

6. Many become so accustomed to chaos that they do not even know that they are living in a state of ..........

7. I was pleased with my performance on Saturday-everything went ..........

8. What a bad day: I left my phone in the grocery store, my car broke down on the way home, and, to .......... it all off, my groceries broke through the bag as I was walking to the front door.

9. Let's get all this financial stuff finished before the end of December so that we can start off the new year with a clean ..........

10. You're too focused on this project. You need to take a .......... back and consider the bigger picture of the whole company.

1. way 2. rush 3. went 4. perspective 5. ride 6. confusion 7. right 8. cap 9. slate 10. step