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

Set (5) - He should crack the whip

Dialogue

Mike: Why are you down in the dumps?

Suzan: Carl has foiled all our plans. I was going to take a few days off work but he turned down my request on the pretext of a due deadline and that they cannot do without me for the time being.

Mike: You’re kidding! If your husband heard that, he would hit the ceiling.

Suzan: He must step in and put a stop to Carl’s arrogance. He’s the company’s owner after all and he should crack the whip.

Vocabulary

Down in the dumps: discouraged, depressed, or sad.

Foil a plan: to spoil a plan; to cause it to fail.

Take time off: to take a break from one's employment or school.

Turn down: to refuse someone's request.

On the pretext of: a false reason used to explain why you are doing something.

A due deadline: the time something should be delivered.

Do without: to manage without.

For the time being: for the present; until some other arrangement is made.

You’re kidding: You cannot be serious; I don't believe it; this can't be true.

Hit the ceiling: to explode in anger; to go crazy.

Step in: to become involved in a difficult situation, especially in order to help.

Put a stop to: to cause to end.

After all: used to add information that shows that what you have just said is true.

Crack the whip: to use your authority to make someone else behave better or work harder.

Exercise

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate expressions:

take time off

turn down

on the pretext of

down in the dumps

hit the ceiling

after all

crack the whip

do without

Step in

You’re kidding

for the time being

a due deadline

foil a plan

Put a stop to

a. .......... me! That guy couldn't manage his way out of a paper bag!

b. I'm going to .......... the corruption in this department once and for all!

c. For partnership returns, the .......... is March 15 and the 15th day of the third month.

d. He spun some tale about needing to .......... work.

e. The world is but a little place, ..........

f. We can't .......... the help of your organization.

g. He asked her to marry him but she .......... him ..........

h. She's been .......... ever since she lost the match

i. Man, my old lady is really .......... on me to get the lawn mowed.

j. He used to spend hours at her house .......... giving her Japanese lessons.

k. Dad will .......... when he finds out I've left school.

l. Palace officials asked the government to ..........

m. Fortunately, the police were able to .......... the kidnapper's ..........