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

Set (34) - This rat race is getting me down

Dialogue

Lucy: Oh! This rat race is getting me down. I can’t help biting more than I can chew.

Mike: Poor Lucy! You seem to be truly running around in circles.

Lucy: Yeah; right! John keeps telling me to simmer down and take it easy, but I don’t want to be kicked out. Yet, I’m just going nowhere and I feel that I’m selling myself short.

Mike: Well; I have to say that you should come clean about your issues with your seniors and then you’ll have a clear conscience.

Lucy: I’ll give it a try.

Vocabulary

Rat race: a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power.

Get someone down: to depress or demoralize someone.

Bite more than one can chew: to take more responsibility than one can handle.

Run/Go around in circles: to keep doing or talking about the same thing without achieving anything.

Simmer down: to slow down.

Take it easy: to make little effort; to rest.

Kick out: to remove one from a place or expel someone from an organization.

Go/Get nowhere: to make no progress.

Sell oneself short: to underestimate.

Come clean: to be completely honest; to keep nothing hidden.

Clean/clear conscience: to feel free of guilt or responsibility.

Exercise;

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate expressions;

rat race

get someone down

bite more than one can chew

run/go around in circles

simmer down

take it easy kick out

go/get nowhere

sell oneself short

come clean

a clean/clear conscience

a. The movie theater.......... that guy for sneaking food inside.

b. Don't.......... — your writing is really excellent!

c. He and I dated for a while, but it..........

d. I didn't do it. I swear to that with a..........

e. My children always.......... about making the mess in the house.

f. She is still so young, it is sad to see her being so caught in the ..........

g. You don't have to.......... by accepting the job in Alaska while winters.

h. The thought of working for a faceless corporation really ..........

i. In the absence of adequate data, the surveyors are just..........

j. Children, recess is over, so.......... and take your seats, please.

k. I'm going to put my feet up and.......... this afternoon.