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

Set 51 - let go and wipe the slate clean

Sarah: Tell you what! I’m constantly bickering with my husband. He butts in every single matter and we get into endless arguments.

Everyone is trying to prove the other person wrong.

Maggie: You are definitely not alone in that arena. All couples get caught in the trap of arguing about what the truth is but neither of them will change their mind. From my point of view try to respect his opinion even if it’s at odds with yours.

Sarah: Don’t talk like that Maggie. I mean you have my number. The core of the problem is I tend to keep score. I don’t let things go easily and I do keep a case against them. My resentment builds up and up and eventually I blow up.

Maggie: But it’s not a healthy thing to do. You have to learn to let go and to wipe the slate clean for open communication. No matter how in love you are, it's inevitable that you're going to disagree. If you truly want to move past constant bickering, learn to respect his view point just as valid as your own.

Sarah: OK. I’ll give it a try.

Vocabulary;

bicker: to argue about petty and trivial matters.

butt in: to meddle in the affairs or intrude in the conversation of others; interfere.

prove someone wrong: show that what someone says is wrong or incorrect.

at odds: in conflict or at variance.

have someone’s number: to understand what kind of person they are, and so you know how to deal with them.

keep score: to count the number of times that something happens.

keep a case: to compile evidence that supports an argument or charges against.

build up: to accumulate over time; to increase gradually.

blow up: to lose one's temper in a display of anger.

wipe the slate clean: to erase the record of one's wrong-doings, likened to wiping the contents off of a piece of slate.

inevitable: (adjective) certain to happen; unavoidable.

move past: to be able to pass an obstacle.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases or words;

1. Those who .......... in because they are curious, nosy and feel entitled to the involvement they seek.

2. If you can prove me .......... let me know and I'll update the review.

3. From the moment the negotiations failed, the die was cast and war was ..........

4. We're trying to build a .......... against the company because many employees have been wrongly terminated.

5. I tried to forgive him, but I just couldn't get .......... the horrible thing he had done to me.

6. I had been late a bunch of times, but after he heard that I'd been struggling so much at home, my boss said he would wipe my .......... clean.

7. I'm sorry that I .......... up at you like that—work is so frustrating right now that I have no patience left when I get home.

8. The dirty laundry is dramatically .......... up—when was the last time you did the wash?

9. You can keep .......... of your baby's movements before birth by recording them on a kick chart.

10. Oh, don't worry — I won't let him cheat me. I've got his ..........

11. She gave him a sweet smile, totally at .......... with the look of dislike in her eyes.

12. The two brothers always .......... about whose turn it is to wash the dishes.

1. butt 2. wrong 3. inevitable 4. case 5. past 6. slate 7. blew 8. building 9. score 10. number 11. odds 12. bicker