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

Set 42 - grew up on the wrong side of the track

Charles: I must admit. I won fame and fortune, notwithstanding, I never forgot my hometown. In retrospect, I was that sad little boy who grew up on the wrong side of the track. Run-of-the-mill, shiftless, egotistical and dejected.

Donna: Oh; yeah. We all yearn for our childhood days. That’s why we’re humans.

Charles: One day I was about to give up and made up my mind to drop out of school. While I was walking around the lot, the history teacher advanced towards me out of the nowhere and started talking me into doing better in my studies as if he had discerned that I was up to no good.

Donna: That’s interesting. What happened then?

Charles: His words still echo in my mind to this day. He said “never let anyone undermine or judge you, never underestimate yourself, you were created unique and great. Just sing your own song.” At that time I didn’t understand the meaning of what he said. But I felt the power of his words going through my entire body. He just ignited the spark of success inside me.

Donna: You mean that teacher is the one who inspired you.

Charles: Exactly; from that day on I was a different person. I wish I could see him once more to thank him. I do owe him big time.

Vocabulary;

notwithstanding: despite the fact or thing mentioned.

in retrospect: thinking now about something in the past.

the wrong side of the track: the poor part of town.

run-of-the-mill: (adjective) lacking unusual or special aspects; ordinary.

shiftless: (adjective) lazy and not having much determination or a clear purpose.

dejected: (adjective) unhappy, disappointed, or without hope.

yearn (for): to wish very strongly, especially for something that you cannot have or something that is very difficult to have.

advance towards: to come near; to move close to.

out of the nowhere: suddenly, unexpectedly

to see, recognize, or understand something that is not clear.

up to no good: doing something wrong or secret.

echo in one’s mind: to keep hearing it.

ignite the spark of: to excite; to stimulate.

owe someone big time: said for someone who did us a favor and as a way of saying that you will do something for them in the future.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. .......... some members' objections, I think we must go ahead with the plan.

2. Despite his great commercial success he still .......... for critical approval.

3. He could .......... the note of urgency in their voices.

4. You .......... me big time since I helped you go shopping and missed watching the football game on Saturday.

5. Work with the younger children ignited the .......... of my love for my work, then my time certainly fanned it into a flame of passion.

6. She walks up to her desk, and while she sits down Raul's words echo in her ..........

7. I don’t know what they’re doing but I’m sure they’re up to no ..........

8. These threatening letters began showing up in our mailbox out of ..........

9. He called the young people .........., lazy and good-for-nothing.

10. I'm sure my university days seem happier in .......... than they really were.

11. The media is fascinated with serial killers, a fairly rare aberration, but most murders are run-of-the-.......... affairs committed by run-of-the-mill people.

12. His request was immediately rejected, and the troops were ordered to fix bayonets and .......... towards the prisoners.

13. William felt .......... because he had sprained his ankle and had to sit out the game.

14. I was always looked down on as a kid because I grew up on the .......... side of the tracks.

1. Notwithstanding 2. yearns 3. discern 4. owe 5. spark 6. mind 7. good 8. nowhere 9. shiftless 10. retrospect 11. mill 12. advance 13. dejected 14. wrong