Advanced English Conversations - Robert Allans, Ahmet Mustafaoglu, Metin Emir 2019

Set (11) - They can serve a purpose

Dialogue

Emily: What have you got in that box?

Julie: Some odds and ends. They can serve a purpose when I go out of town.

Emily: I admire those handy and practical people. They are really dependable.

Julie: Aren’t you buttering me up?

Emily: Far from it. You just remind me of my uncle. He was literally a Jack-of-all-trades. He used to spend the lion’s share of his time fixing stuff.

Julie: Why don’t you introduce me to him? At least we have something in common.

Emily: Don’t hold your breath. He passed away years ago.

Vocabulary

Odds and ends: miscellaneous articles or remnants.

Serve a purpose: to have a use.

Out of town: away from home; out of one's town of residence.

Dependable: (adjective): trustworthy and reliable.

Butter up: to praise or flatter someone in order to make him or her more receptive or willing.

Far from it: no; not at all; almost the opposite is true.

Literally: in a literal manner or sense; exactly.

Jack-of-all-trades: (noun) someone who can do many different jobs.

The lion’s share: the largest part of something.

Have something in common: to share the same interests.

Don’t hold your breath: to tell someone that an event is not likely to happen.

Pass away: to die.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate expressions;

odds and ends

serve a purpose

out of town

dependable

butter up

far from it

pass away

literally

Jack-of-all-trades

the lion’s share

have something in common

don’t hold your breath

a. Mike repairs cars, he paints houses, he makes furniture. He's a real ........................

b. She was .......... at the end of her rope, so flight into the woods was unwise.

c. Men .........., but their deeds abide.

d. She put in some clothes .........., and make-up.

e. He's established himself as a .......... source of information.

f. A; “Do I think you need to replace this car?” B; “.......... . It works like a clock.”

g. We don't have a spading fork but this shovel should ..........

h. The bank has to .......... investors because it is in a fiercely competitive market.

i. She said she'd get back to us, but ..........!

j. The ball club will be playing .......... next week.

k. They are wasting .......... of their income by paying rents.

l. Bob and Mary .......... a lot I .......... can see why they like each other.