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

Set (4) - Fed up with cutting corners

Dialogue

Mary: The New Year is just around the corner. It’s time to shop around for bargains.

Suzan: Yeah, you’re right. Everything is sky-high nowadays and I’m fed up with cutting corners just to make ends meet.

Mary: Why don’t you cut down on smoking then?

Suzan: You may say I’m making excuses. But it does give me some solace.

Mary: Get out of here!

Vocabulary

Around the corner: very near.

Shop around: to go to several shops before you decide what to buy.

Sky-high: very high.

To be fed up with: annoyed, unhappy, or bored, especially with a situation that has existed for a long time.

Cut corners: do something perfunctorily so as to save time or money.

Make ends meet: to have enough money to buy what you need to live.

Cut down on: to do or use less of something.

Make an excuse: to give a reason for doing something you shouldn't do.

Give solace: to help and comfort when you are feeling sad or worried.

Get out of here!: used to express disbelief.

Exercise

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate expression;

cut corners

sky-high

make ends meet

cut down on

around the corner

shop around

be fed up with

give solace

get out of here

make an excuse

a. ......... She would never say such a thing about me.

b. When you're buying a flight, you should always .......... for the best deal.

c. One approved applicant has a dazzling credit report with a .......... rating.

d. The Chancellor of the Exchequer says that economic recovery is just ..........

e. Rail passengers .......... cancellations and delays.

f. The government .......... when they built the school with bad materials, and put everyone in danger.

g. She .......... all sorts of .......... for not getting her work done

h. They could hardly .......... and their debts were piling up.

i. Music was the only thing to .......... him .......... during his illness.