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

Set 39 - We just came out smelling like a rose

Donald: I was very impressed by that lawyer. The man really knows his stuff. He has a way with words and was able to outwit the accusers easily. We just came out smelling like a rose.

Jerry: Well; it all boils down to doing your homework well. I mean a good lawyer is one who sees parallels and makes good choices. They’re simply willing to go the extra mile.

Donald: In my experience, and from a practical perspective, I've found that the lawyers who don't drive the flashy cars and have offices that look a little more run-down are often the better attorneys. They seem to put their hearts into their work.

Jerry: I’m also a big proponent of corporate lawyers. They seem to know every little trick in the book and how to pull those tricks on their victim. After all, they are in charge of millions of dollars companies. One bad lawyer in a merger and the client could be kissing power of their company goodbye.

Donald: Yeah; corporate lawyers are unlikely to put their foot in it.

Vocabulary;

impressed (by/with): (adjective) feeling or showing admiration or respect for sb or sth.

know one’s stuff: to be very knowledgeable or skilled in some area.

have a way with words: to have a talent for using language in a charming, persuasive manner.

outwit: to obtain an advantage over someone by being more intelligent; to outsmart.

come out smelling like a rose: to have success or good fortune in a situation in which one was likely to fail, be harmed, etc.

boil down to: be essentially a matter of.

parallel; something very similar to something else, or a similarity between two things.

go the extra mile: to try harder to please someone or to get the task done correctly.

flashy: looking too bright, big, and expensive to get attention and admiration.

run-down: in very bad condition.

put one’s heart into: to do something with one's maximum effort and passion.

a proponent of: a person who supports an idea, plan, or cause.

pull a trick: to carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke (against someone).

merger: the combining of two or more companies or organizations into one.

put one’s foot in it: to do or say something foolish, tactless, or offensive.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. Honestly; it was a perfect show. I was .......... with the results.

2. In the end, the case will .......... down to whether the jury believes Smith or not.

3. I have to say, our lawyer really went the .......... mile in making sure every aspect of our case was watertight.

4. It turns out that the supposed alien visitors that people had been seeing were just a bunch of teenagers....................... .......... a trick on the town.

5. She is a leading .......... of cultural approaches to learning, development and psychotherapy.

6. Come on, choir. You can sing better than that. Put your ................................ into it!

7. How could you stay in such a run-.......... building? You’ve got a death wish, I suppose!

8. Why did you buy that .......... suit? Are you getting promoted or something?

9. I think Nicole is our best candidate for the job—she really knows her .......... when it comes to corporate accounting.

10. I’m the one who informed her. I didn't know it was a surprise party; I guess I put my .......... in it.

11. It is impossible to negotiate if one side feels that the other side is trying to .......... them.

12. Ask Perry to make the announcement. He has a .......... with... words.

13. The scandal forced several board members to resign, but the chairman came out .......... like a rose.

14. The shareholders seem to think that the executive board is overstating the case for a ..........

15. I'm trying to see if there are any obvious .......... between the two cases.

1. impressed 2. boil 3. extra 4. pulling 5. proponent 6. heart 7. down 8. flashy 9. stuff 10. foot 11. outwit 12. way 13. smelling 14. merger 15. parallels