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

Set (82) - Hold yourself together!

Dialogue

Jerry: Did you see the doctor? Is your sister out of the woods?

Sarah: Oh Jerry! I’m at my wit ends; I’m afraid she’s going from bad to worse - it has been two hours!

Jerry: Snap out of it! She’ll be fine. I’m sure she’ll.

Sarah: I’m really going into pieces: I can’t help being worried sick about her. You know she’s at death’s door.

Jerry: Oh dear! Hold yourself together! You just need to pray for her and keep a stiff upper lip.

Sarah: Look look! Why are the doctors in a huddle? She must have passed away!

Vocabulary

Out of the woods: no longer in danger, in the clear.

At one’s wit ends: frantic, anxious; not knowing what to do next.

Go from bad to worse: from a bad state or condition to a worse condition.

Snap out of it: to stop experiencing something unpleasant or stop behaving in a negative way.

Go into pieces: to become unable to think clearly and control your emotions.

Worried sick: Extremely anxious.

At death’s door: to be seriously ill.

Hold oneself together: To calm oneself down and begin to think or act appropriately.

Keep a stiff upper lip: to remain stoic during difficult situations.

In a huddle: conferring confidentially.

Exercise

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases:

out of the woods

at one’s wit ends

go from bad to worse

snap out of it

go into pieces

worried sick

at death’s door

hold oneself together

keep a stiff upper lip

in a huddle

a. I know you're stressed out, but you need to .......... and get this report done!

b. Despite all of the hardships he faced, John always .......... and didn't let anything bother him.

c. We are not .......... but we have been thrown a lifeline.

d. Poor Aunt Jenny! She .......... at the funeral.

e. I was depressed, and I couldn't .......... without a long vacation.

f. I'm already .........., so if this train gets delayed too, I'm going to scream.

g. Contrary to expectation; Things .......... in a matter of days.

h. You must be .......... about me by now, I'm sorry I wasn't able to write or call you earlier.

i. The team went .......... at half-time to discuss their tactics.

j. The family dog was .......... for three days, and then it finally died.