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

Set (97) - One swallow doesn't make a summer!

Dialogue

Peter: How embarrassing! Did I ever put my foot in it —I just congratulated Sarah's sister on being pregnant. She isn't.

Alice: You don’t say! Haven’t you heard the proverb that says “look before you leap”?

Peter: She just walked away - I wish the ground would have swallowed me!

Alice: Never mind; I’ll straighten it out. But make sure you don’t screw it up once more.

Peter: I’ll have to apologize to her as soon as possible or do her a big favor - You know; one swallow doesn't make a summer!

Alice: Fine then! You don’t have to go hard on yourself anymore.

Vocabulary

Put one’s foot in it: to unintentionally say something foolish, tactless, or offensive.

Look before you leap: think of the consequences before you act.

Wish the ground would swallow someone: to wish one could have an escape or some instant relief from being mortified or extremely embarrassed.

Screw up: to completely mismanage or mishandle a situation.

One swallow doesn't make a summer: a single fortunate event does not mean that what follows will also be good.

Exercise

Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrases:

put one’s foot in it

look before you leap

Wish the ground would swallow someone

screw up

one swallow doesn't make a summer

a. Hershel just asked me out in the middle of class in front of everyone. I ..........

b. I.......... the cake when I forgot to add eggs to it.

c. If you deceive your boss now, what do you think will happen if he finds out about it? I mean, ..........!

d. A lot of things went right for us this year, but .......... — we still have a long ways to go before our finances are back in order.

e. He just tends to.......... when he's forced to speak for too long, so try to get him off stage as soon as possible.