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

Set 26 - Why are you up in arms about anything I do?

Maya: Hey, are you able to eat in a different room or chew more quietly at your desk? You’re giving me goosebumps.

Sue: Am I? How rude and offensive! Can’t you pick your words more carefully? I don’t understand why are you up in arms about anything I do? I mean why are you holding a grudge against me?

Maya: Look! I don’t have time to lock horns with you. Just go away without much ado.

Sue: Don’t flare up and stop screaming in my face. What do you take me for? You’re pushing me to my limits and my patience is starting to run thin. Stop it and mind your business. OK?

Maya: I wish you were good at respecting people as you’re good at talking back. We can’t work together under the same roof anymore.

I’ll make you pay big time.

Sue: Oh; dear me! I’m shaking! Do your worst!

Vocabulary;

goosebumps: bumps on one's skin where one's body hair stands on end as the result of an intense feeling of cold, nervousness, anxiety, excitement, or fear.

up in arms: very upset or angry about something.

hold a grudge: to harbor persistent and continual resentment or ill feelings toward someone.

lock horns (with someone): to get into an argument with someone.

flare up: to suddenly lash out in anger.

take sb/sth for sb/ sth: to consider or regard someone or something as someone or something else, especially mistakenly.

push someone to their limits: to put pressure on someone.

run thin: to become less than the usual, original.

talk back: to answer, respond, or interrupt in a rude or impertinent manner; to sass.

under the same roof: in the same building, office, house, etc.

Do your worst: do as much damage as you can (often used to express defiance in the face of threats).

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. After I accidentally tapped that guy with my shopping cart, he just .......... up and started screaming in my face!

2. Do your ..........! You big-headed. Thanks Goodness I’m not from your class.

3. At our new office, we will have dental, dermatological, and primary health care all under the same ..........!

4. If you don't stop talking .......... like that, you'll be going to bed with no dinner!

5. I'd been waiting almost an hour, and my patience was .......... thin.

6. Enough of your sarcasm and ridicule. You’re pushing me to my ..........

7. You must be .......... me for a fool if you think I would lend you such a huge amount of money.

8. The whole town is up in .......... about the addition of a new shopping center.

9. What they're doing gave me .......... It's like they're ready to sell us without us knowing about it.

10. Johnny has been holding a .......... against me since we were 12 because I embarrassed him in front of a girl he liked.

11. Let's settle this peacefully. I don't want to .......... horns with the boss.

1. flared 2. worst 3. roof 4. back 5. running 6. limits 7. taking 8. arms 9. goosebumps 10. grudge 11. lock