Quiz Idioms: from 1 ~ 13

Topics : Make up

Idioms :

not know sb from Adam INFORMAL to not know who someone is at all:
• Why should he help me? He doesn't know me from Adam.
Why should she lend me money? She doesn't know me from Adam.

eat humble pie(US ALSO eat crow) INFORMAL to admit that you were wrong about something
After boasting that his company could outperform the industry's best, he's been forced to eat humble pie.
get/have cold feet INFORMAL to suddenly feel that you are not brave enough to do something you planned to do:
• They later got cold feet and canceled the order.

Sb is all talk and no action SPOKEN to always be talking about what you have done or what you are going to do without ever actually doing anything

beginner's luck unusual success that you have when you start doing something new

Achilles' heel noun [C]
a weak part of something, especially of someone's character, which is easy for other people to attack:
• The team's offense is their Achilles' heel.

Words:

mumble verb [I,T]
to say something too quietly and not clearly enough, so that other people cannot understand you:
• He mumbled a few words and lost consciousness.
• Stop mumbling!
She mumbled something about being too busy.
[+ speech] "I'm sorry, " he mumbled.
She mumbled a prayer for their safe return.
He often mumbles in Yiddish.
mumbler noun [C]
mumble noun [C]



negligent adjective
1 not doing something that you are responsible for in a careful enough way, so that something bad happens or could happen:
• Kitty was characterized as a negligent mother. [+ in]:
• The crew of the ship may have been negligent in following safety procedures.
The judge said that the teacher had been negligent in allowing the children to swim in dangerous water.
2 LITERARY careless, but in a pleasantly relaxed way:
• The bartender set Tad's drink down with a negligent, easy grace.
negligently adverb

negligence noun [U]
when you do not give enough care or attention to someone or something:
My mother accuses me of negligence unless I phone her every day.
medical negligence


nub noun [C]
1 a small rounded piece of something, especially a piece that is left after it has been eaten, used etc.:
• The baby clutched a nub of carrot.
2 the central or main part of something:
• I was just waiting for the discussion to get down to the real nub of things.
oasis noun plural oases [C]
1 a place with water and trees in a desert
2 a peaceful or pleasant place that is very different from everything around it:
• The restaurant is a little oasis in the middle of downtown Los Angeles.
Her office was an oasis of peace and sanity amid the surrounding chaos.
The cafe was an oasis in the busy, noisy city.

perforate verb [T]
to make a hole or holes in something:
He suffered from bruises and a perforated eardrum in the accident.
perforated adjective
1 paper that is perforated has a line of small holes in it so that part of it can be torn off easily:
• a perforated sheet of stamps
The windows have been covered with perforated metal screens
2 something that is perforated, especially a part of the body, has had a hole or holes cut in it or torn in it:
• a perforated eardrum
• Use a perforated spatula to stir the mixture.
He was taken to the hospital to have emergency surgery for a perforated stomach ulcer.
perforation noun
1 [C] a small hole in something, or a line of holes made in a piece of paper so that it can be torn easily
A tea bag is full of tiny perforations.
The perforations (= very small holes) make it easy to remove checks from your checkbook.
2 [U] the action or process of making a hole or holes in something

plump adjective
1 a word meaning "slightly fat," often used in order to be polite:
• a plump woman in her fifties
2 attractively round and slightly fat:
• plump juicy strawberries
plumpness noun [U]

plump verb
1 [T] also plump up to make CUSHION, PILLOW etc. softer and rounder by shaking or hitting them
2 [I,T] also plump up to make someone or something fatter by giving them food or filling them with something:
• Boil the dried fruit until it plumps up in the cooking liquid.
3 plump (yourself) down to sit down suddenly and heavily:
• Peggy plumped down in the chair beside Otto.
4 [T always + adv./prep.] to put something down suddenly and carelessly:
• You can plump the bags down anywhere you like.
plum tomato noun [C]
a type of TOMATO that is egg-shaped and that is often used in cooking

prudent adjective
sensible and careful, especially by trying to avoid unnecessary risks:
His decision was prudent and timely.
• prudent house buyers
• It is prudent to give children only pasteurized milk and juices, to avoid food poisoning.
[+ to infinitive] It's always prudent to read a contract properly before signing it.--opposite IMPRUDENT
prudently adverb

prude noun [C] DISAPPROVING
someone who is very easily shocked by anything relating to sex --see also PRUDISH

prudence noun [U]
a sensible and careful attitude that makes you avoid unnecessary risks
A little prudence would be appropriate.
The firm was commended for its financial prudence.
prudential adjective OLD-FASHIONED

reckless adjective
not caring or worrying about danger or about the bad results of your behavior:
• reckless spending
• The driver was arrested for reckless driving.
He was found guilty of reckless driving.
These punks have a reckless disregard for the law.
He pleaded innocent to reckless driving charges.
recklessly adverb
She spends her money recklessly.

recklessness noun [U]

I showed my recklessness by joining their gang.

The Most Dangerous Game - Part 7:

by Richard Connell



At daybreak Rainsford, lying near the swamp, was awakened by a sound that made him know that he had new things to learn about fear. It was a distant sound, faint and wavering, but he knew it. It was the baying of a pack of hounds.

Rainsford knew he could do one of two things. He could stay where he was and wait. That was suicide. He could flee. That was postponing the inevitable. For a moment he stood there, thinking. An idea that held a wild chance came to him, and, tightening his belt, he headed away from the swamp.

The baying of the hounds drew nearer, then still nearer, nearer, ever nearer. On a ridge Rainsford climbed a tree. Down a watercourse, not a quarter of a mile away, he could see the bush moving. Straining his eyes, he saw the lean figure of General Zaroff; just ahead of him Rainsford made out another figure whose wide shoulders surged through the tall jungle weeds; it was the giant Ivan, and he seemed pulled forward by some unseen force; Rainsford knew that Ivan must be holding the pack in leash.

They would be on him any minute now. His mind worked frantically. He thought of a native trick he had learned in Uganda. He slid down the tree. He caught hold of a springy young sapling and to it he fastened his hunting knife, with the blade pointing down the trail; with a bit of wild grapevine he tied back the sapling. Then he ran for his life. The hounds raised their voices as they hit the fresh scent. Rainsford knew now how an animal at bay feels.

He had to stop to get his breath. The baying of the hounds stopped abruptly, and Rainsford's heart stopped too. They must have reached the knife.

He shinned excitedly up a tree and looked back. His pursuers had stopped. But the hope that was in Rainsford's brain when he climbed died, for he saw in the shallow valley that General Zaroff was still on his feet. But Ivan was not. The knife, driven by the recoil of the springing tree, had not wholly failed.

Rainsford had hardly tumbled to the ground when the pack took up the cry again.

"Nerve, nerve, nerve!" he panted, as he dashed along. A blue gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on toward that gap. He reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove he could see the gloomy gray stone of the chateau. Twenty feet below him the sea rumbled and hissed. Rainsford hesitated. He heard the hounds. Then he leaped far out into the sea. . . .

When the general and his pack reached the place by the sea, the Cossack stopped. For some minutes he stood regarding the blue-green expanse of water. He shrugged his shoulders. Then be sat down, took a drink of brandy from a silver flask, lit a cigarette, and hummed a bit from Madame Butterfly.

General Zaroff had an exceedingly good dinner in his great paneled dining hall that evening. With it he had a bottle of Pol Roger and half a bottle of Chambertin. Two slight annoyances kept him from perfect enjoyment. One was the thought that it would be difficult to replace Ivan; the other was that his quarry had escaped him; of course, the American hadn't played the game--so thought the general as he tasted his after-dinner liqueur. In his library he read, to soothe himself, from the works of Marcus Aurelius. At ten he went up to his bedroom. He was deliciously tired, he said to himself, as he locked himself in. There was a little moonlight, so, before turning on his light, he went to the window and looked down at the courtyard. He could see the great hounds, and he called, "Better luck another time," to them. Then he switched on the light.

A man, who had been hiding in the curtains of the bed, was standing there.

"Rainsford!" screamed the general. "How in God's name did you get here?"

"Swam," said Rainsford. "I found it quicker than walking through the jungle."

The general sucked in his breath and smiled. "I congratulate you," he said. "You have won the game."

Rainsford did not smile. "I am still a beast at bay," he said, in a low, hoarse voice. "Get ready, General Zaroff."

The general made one of his deepest bows. "I see," he said. "Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford." . . .

He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.

Topics : Suicide

Idioms :

a big mouth informal
someone cannot keep a secret:
• That girl has a big mouth.
• I'm sorry. I shouldn't have opened my big mouth.
• me and my big mouth (= said when you wish you had not told someone a secret)
• Who's the big mouth who told Carole about her surprise birthday party?
Helen's got such a big mouth - the news'll be all over the town by tonight.
I knew I shouldn't have mentioned the letter. Oh dear, me and my big mouth!
Dave's a real big-mouth, so don't tell him anything.
He is/has such a big mouth.
He went and opened his big mouth and told them the whole story.
drop sb a line INFORMAL
to write and send a short letter to someone:
• Drop us a line sometime.
Just drop me a line when you've decided on a date.
drop (sb) a hint INFORMAL
to tell someone something in an indirect way
• I've dropped a few hints about what I want for my birthday.
Margaret dropped a hint that she'd like to come to the party.
He dropped a few hints about some gifts he'd like to get.
name-dropping noun [U] DISAPPROVING
when someone talks about famous people that they have met, often pretending that they know them better than they really do, in order to appear more important and special
name drop verb [I] DISAPPROVING
name-dropper noun [C] DISAPPROVING

a drop in the ocean UK (US a drop in the bucket)
a very small amount compared to the amount needed
• Five thousand is a drop in the bucket compared to the $14 million we need.
My letter of protest was just a drop in the ocean.
We were paid about $50,000, but that was a drop in the bucket compared to what some other companies got.
drop the ball
to not do a job that you are expected to do, especially because you make mistakes:
• Investigators dropped the ball in the murder investigation

Words:

reveal verb [T]
1 to make known something that was previously secret or unknown:
He was jailed for revealing secrets to the Russians.
[+ that] Her biography revealed that she was not as rich as everyone thought.
[+ question word] He would not reveal where he had hidden her chocolate eggs.
• His letters reveal a different side of his personality. [reveal (that)]:
[+ that] It was revealed in this morning's papers that the couple intend to marry.
She revealed her sexual history to him because she thought it was important.
• Medical tests in late August revealed that a virus was slowly destroying his heart.
2 to show something that was previously hidden:
A gap in the clouds revealed the Atlantic far below.
X-rays revealed that my ribs had been cracked but not broken
• The wooden doll opened to reveal a smaller doll within.

revealing Show phonetics
adjective
1 describes clothes which show more of the body than is usual:
a revealing dress/shirt
• revealing swimsuits
a revealing blouse
His shirt came up at the back, revealing an expanse of white skin.

2 showing something that was not previously known or seen:
A joke can be very revealing about/of what someone's really thinking.
The book provides a revealing glimpse of how the organization works
• His second book on Mitterrand is filled with revealing anecdotes and interviews.
revealingly
adverb
disclose verb [I or T] FORMAL
1 - to make something known publicly, or to show something that was hidden: to make something known publicly, especially after it has been kept secret
Several companies have disclosed profits of over £200 million.
[+ that] The police have disclosed that two officers are under internal investigation.
• GM did not disclose details of the agreement. [disclose that]:
• Councilman Horton disclosed last night that he is gay.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
He refused to disclose details of the report.
2 - FORMAL to show something by removing the thing that covers it
disclosure noun [C or U] FORMAL
a secret that someone tells people, or the act of telling this secret:
• Following sensational disclosures concerning his personal life, he has offered to resign.
• the disclosure of classified information
Any public disclosure of this information would be very damaging to the company.
The newspaper made damaging disclosures of management incompetence.
Full financial disclosure is required.
The report contained disclosures of sexual harassment.

exposé noun [C]
a public report ;a television program, newspaper story, or movie that tells people the truth about an event or situation in which someone did something dishonest or illegal [+ of]:
• "Through the Wire" is an exposé of human rights abuses in the U.S. prison system.
Today's newspaper contains a searing exposé of police corruption.
expose verb [T]
1-[expose sth to sth]PUT IN DANGER :to put someone or something in a situation or position that could be harmful or dangerous, without any protection against what may happen:
• The test will tell you if you've been exposed to the virus:
• Horses' shoes break up the trails and leave them exposed to erosion.
About 800, 000 children are exposed to poisons each year.
It is feared that people living near the power station may have been exposed to radiation.
His behavior on the Senate floor exposed him to ridicule.
The article said that children exposed to smoke are more likely to be sick.
2- [expose sth to sth]:SHOW to uncover or show something that is usually covered or not able to be seen: to make (something covered or hidden) able to be seen : to remove what is covering something so that it can be seen: ) to remove what is covering something so that it can be seen (BAD THING) to make public something bad or something that is not honest
The review exposed widespread corruption in the police force
He removed the bandage to expose the wound.
Our bodies need to be exposed to sunlight in order to make
vitamin D.
• The boy lifted his T-shirt to expose a jagged scar across his belly
• Flowers will develop only if the plants are exposed to sunlight daily.
The plaster on the walls has been removed to expose the original bricks underneath.
He damaged his leg so badly in the accident that the bone was exposed.
The plaster was removed to expose the original brick wall.
3[expose sb to sth]: (GIVE OPPORTUNITY)LET SB EXPERIENCE STH :to create conditions that allow (someone) to have the opportunity to learn or experience new things :
It was the first time I'd been exposed to violence.
Kate was exposed to new ideas when she went to college.
• Children often aren't exposed to classical music.
4-[expose sb as sth] (SHOW THE TRUTH) TELL THE TRUTH to tell people the truth about an event or situation that is not acceptable, especially because it involves something dishonest or illegal:
He was exposed as a fraud and a liar
The newspaper story exposed him as (= showed that he was) a liar.
• Two reporters exposed corruption in Philadelphia's court system.:
• Guillaume was exposed as an East German spy.
5-expose yourself :If a man exposes himself, he shows his sexual organs in a public place to people he does not know because he is mentally ill.
6 (PHOTOGRAPHY) under-/over-exposed to allow light to reach a piece of camera film in order to produce a
photograph
This photograph was under-/over-exposed (= too little/too much light was allowed to reach the film).
7- SHOW FEELINGS to show other people feelings that you usually hide, especially when this is not planned:
• I'm afraid to expose my innermost thoughts and emotions to anyone. --see also EXPOSURE
exposed adjective
having no protection from bad weather: not covered or protected from harm or danger:
• Exposed areas, such as the nose, ears, and fingers, are more likely to get frostbite.
The house is in a very exposed position.
He left some exposed wires that should be covered up.
exposition noun
1 [C] a large public event at which you show or sell products, art etc.:
• the Southwestern Exposition and Rodeo
2 [C,U] the act of giving a clear and detailed explanation, or the explanation itself:
• a professor of Bible exposition

leak verb [I or T]
1 (of a liquid or gas) to allow liquid or gas to escape: [+ into/through/from etc.]:
• The roof always leaks when it rains.
• They found the pipe that was leaking chlorine.
• Water was leaking out of the radiator.
Water was leaking from the pipe.
Oil leaked out of the car.
The tin was leaking.
The car leaked oil all over the drive.
2 [leak sth to sb]:to allow secret information to become generally known:
• Details of the contract were leaked to the press.
He leaked the names to the press.
leak out phrasal verb [I]
if secret information leaks out, a lot of people find out about it:
• News of the deal leaked out three weeks ago.
News of the pay cuts had somehow leaked out.
leak like a sieve :to leak very badly

leak noun [C]
1 a small hole that lets liquid or gas flow into or out of something:
• A leak was discovered in the cooling system.
There's water on the floor - we must have a leak.
If you suspect a gas leak, phone the emergency number.
Water had leaked all over the floor.
The bottle must have leaked because the bag's all wet.
He heard the sound of dripping and saw water leaking from a pipe overhead.
The ship ran aground off the coast and began to leak oil.
To leak is also to give out information privately esp. when people in authority do not want it to be known: Someone had leaked the news of the ambassador's resignation to the press.
2 a situation in which secret information is deliberately given to a newspaper, television company etc.:
• White House officials are anxious to find the person responsible for the leak.
Details of the report had been leaked to the press.
There have been several security leaks recently.
They traced the leak to a secretary in the finance department.
Little jets of water shot out of the leaks in her garden hose.
The Justice Department was investigating security leaks.
spring a leak :if a boat or a container springs a leak, it begins to let liquid in or out through a crack or hole
leak like a sieve INFORMAL :to leak a lot
take a leak very informal!
I'll be back in a moment - I've gotta take a leak.
to pass liquid waste out of the body
I'll be back in a moment - I've gotta take a leak.
leakage noun [C or U]
1 the act of leaking or the leak itself:
The leakage was traced to an oil pipe in the cellar.
A lot of water is wasted through leakage.
I think we may have a leak in the roof.
a gas leak+
The cause of the leakage of the chemical is under investigation, he said.
2 making known secret information
leaky adjective
Something that is leaky has a hole in it and liquid or gas can get through:
• a leaky faucet
leaky pipes
a leaky valve
There's a leaky radiator in the bedroom.

blab verb [I or T] -bb- INFORMAL to talk too much or speak without thinking about something, often something that should be secret:
• Kerri told her agent, who then went and blabbed it to all the reporters. [+ about]:
• She's trying to lose weight, and she's always blabbing about her diet.
Someone blabbed to the press.
She just blabs to anyone who will listen.

let on phrasal verb INFORMAL
to tell someone something especially when it is a secret:
• I think he knows more about it than he's letting on. [let on (that)]:
• Don't let on that I told you.
I suspect he knows more this than he's letting on.
If he did know the truth, he didn't let on.

let slip sth
to say something that you did not intend to say because you wanted to keep it secret
• During a chat with reporters, Baker let slip that he would receive the Manager of the Year award.
Pam let slip an interesting bit of gossip yesterday.
Stupidly, I let it slip that they'd decided not to give him the job. [often + that]
He let it slip that he hadn't actually read the report.
tattle verb [I]
1 if a child tattles, they tell a parent or teacher that another child has done something bad [+ on]:
• Robert is always tattling on me for things I didn't do.
2 OLD-FASHIONED to talk about small unimportant things, or about other people's private affairs; GOSSIP
tattling noun [U]
tattler noun [C]

tittle-tattle noun [U] OLD-FASHIONED INFORMAL
talk about other people's lives that is usually unkind, disapproving or not true; gossip
They know that tittle-tattle about the royal family helps to sell newspapers.

Idioms 13:

Break down
Turn out
Once in a blue moon
Give up
Cross out
Take for granted
Take into account
Make clear
Clear out
Have on
Come to
Call for

The Most Dangerous Game - Part 6 :

by Richard Connell


General Zaroff did not appear until luncheon. He was dressed faultlessly in the tweeds of a country squire. He was solicitous about the state of Rainsford's health.

"As for me," sighed the general, "I do not feel so well. I am worried, Mr. Rainsford. Last night I detected traces of my old complaint."

To Rainsford's questioning glance the general said, "Ennui. Boredom."

Then, taking a second helping of crêpes Suzette, the general explained: "The hunting was not good last night. The fellow lost his head. He made a straight trail that offered no problems at all. That's the trouble with these sailors; they have dull brains to begin with, and they do not know how to get about in the woods. They do excessively stupid and obvious things. It's most annoying. Will you have another glass of Chablis, Mr. Rainsford?"

"General," said Rainsford firmly, "I wish to leave this island at once."

The general raised his thickets of eyebrows; he seemed hurt. "But, my dear fellow," the general protested, "you've only just come. You've had no hunting--"

"I wish to go today," said Rainsford. He saw the dead black eyes of the general on him, studying him. General Zaroff's face suddenly brightened.

He filled Rainsford's glass with venerable Chablis from a dusty bottle.

"Tonight," said the general, "we will hunt--you and I."

Rainsford shook his head. "No, general," he said. "I will not hunt."

The general shrugged his shoulders and delicately ate a hothouse grape. "As you wish, my friend," he said. "The choice rests entirely with you. But may I not venture to suggest that you will find my idea of sport more diverting than Ivan's?"

He nodded toward the corner to where the giant stood, scowling, his thick arms crossed on his hogshead of chest.

"You don't mean--" cried Rainsford.

"My dear fellow," said the general, "have I not told you I always mean what I say about hunting? This is really an inspiration. I drink to a foeman worthy of my steel--at last." The general raised his glass, but Rainsford sat staring at him.

"You'll find this game worth playing," the general said enthusiastically." Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?"

"And if I win--" began Rainsford huskily.

"I'll cheerfully acknowledge myself defeat if I do not find you by midnight of the third day," said General Zaroff. "My sloop will place you on the mainland near a town." The general read what Rainsford was thinking.

"Oh, you can trust me," said the Cossack. "I will give you my word as a gentleman and a sportsman. Of course you, in turn, must agree to say nothing of your visit here."

"I'll agree to nothing of the kind," said Rainsford.

"Oh," said the general, "in that case--But why discuss that now? Three days hence we can discuss it over a bottle of Veuve Cliquot, unless--"

The general sipped his wine.

Then a businesslike air animated him. "Ivan," he said to Rainsford, "will supply you with hunting clothes, food, a knife. I suggest you wear moccasins; they leave a poorer trail. I suggest, too, that you avoid the big swamp in the southeast corner of the island. We call it Death Swamp. There's quicksand there. One foolish fellow tried it. The deplorable part of it was that Lazarus followed him. You can imagine my feelings, Mr. Rainsford. I loved Lazarus; he was the finest hound in my pack. Well, I must beg you to excuse me now. I always' take a siesta after lunch. You'll hardly have time for a nap, I fear. You'll want to start, no doubt. I shall not follow till dusk. Hunting at night is so much more exciting than by day, don't you think? Au revoir, Mr. Rainsford, au revoir." General Zaroff, with a deep, courtly bow, strolled from the room.

From another door came Ivan. Under one arm he carried khaki hunting clothes, a haversack of food, a leather sheath containing a long-bladed hunting knife; his right hand rested on a cocked revolver thrust in the crimson sash about his waist.

Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for two hours. "I must keep my nerve. I must keep my nerve," he said through tight teeth.

He had not been entirely clearheaded when the chateau gates snapped shut behind him. His whole idea at first was to put distance between himself and General Zaroff; and, to this end, he had plunged along, spurred on by the sharp rowers of something very like panic. Now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation. He saw that straight flight was futile; inevitably it would bring him face to face with the sea. He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, must take place within that frame.

"I'll give him a trail to follow," muttered Rainsford, and he struck off from the rude path he had been following into the trackless wilderness. He executed a series of intricate loops; he doubled on his trail again and again, recalling all the lore of the fox hunt, and all the dodges of the fox. Night found him leg-weary, with hands and face lashed by the branches, on a thickly wooded ridge. He knew it would be insane to blunder on through the dark, even if he had the strength. His need for rest was imperative and he thought, "I have played the fox, now I must play the cat of the fable." A big tree with a thick trunk and outspread branches was near by, and, taking care to leave not the slightest mark, he climbed up into the crotch, and, stretching out on one of the broad limbs, after a fashion, rested. Rest brought him new confidence and almost a feeling of security. Even so zealous a hunter as General Zaroff could not trace him there, he told himself; only the devil himself could follow that complicated trail through the jungle after dark. But perhaps the general was a devil--

An apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded snake and sleep did not visit Rainsford, although the silence of a dead world was on the jungle. Toward morning when a dingy gray was varnishing the sky, the cry of some startled bird focused Rainsford's attention in that direction. Something was coming through the bush, coming slowly, carefully, coming by the same winding way Rainsford had come. He flattened himself down on the limb and, through a screen of leaves almost as thick as tapestry, he watched. . . . That which was approaching was a man.

It was General Zaroff. He made his way along with his eyes fixed in utmost concentration on the ground before him. He paused, almost beneath the tree, dropped to his knees and studied the ground. Rainsford's impulse was to hurl himself down like a panther, but he saw that the general's right hand held something metallic--a small automatic pistol.

The hunter shook his head several times, as if he were puzzled. Then he straightened up and took from his case one of his black cigarettes; its pungent incenselike smoke floated up to Rainsford's nostrils.

Rainsford held his breath. The general's eyes had left the ground and were traveling inch by inch up the tree. Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring. But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown face. Very deliberately he blew a smoke ring into the air; then he turned his back on the tree and walked carelessly away, back along the trail he had come. The swish of the underbrush against his hunting boots grew fainter and fainter.

The pent-up air burst hotly from Rainsford's lungs. His first thought made him feel sick and numb. The general could follow a trail through the woods at night; he could follow an extremely difficult trail; he must have uncanny powers; only by the merest chance had the Cossack failed to see his quarry.

Rainsford's second thought was even more terrible. It sent a shudder of cold horror through his whole being. Why had the general smiled? Why had he turned back?

Rainsford did not want to believe what his reason told him was true, but the truth was as evident as the sun that had by now pushed through the morning mists. The general was playing with him! The general was saving him for another day's sport! The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.

"I will not lose my nerve. I will not."

He slid down from the tree, and struck off again into the woods. His face was set and he forced the machinery of his mind to function. Three hundred yards from his hiding place he stopped where a huge dead tree leaned precariously on a smaller, living one. Throwing off his sack of food, Rainsford took his knife from its sheath and began to work with all his energy.

The job was finished at last, and he threw himself down behind a fallen log a hundred feet away. He did not have to wait long. The cat was coming again to play with the mouse.

Following the trail with the sureness of a bloodhound came General Zaroff. Nothing escaped those searching black eyes, no crushed blade of grass, no bent twig, no mark, no matter how faint, in the moss. So intent was the Cossack on his stalking that he was upon the thing Rainsford had made before he saw it. His foot touched the protruding bough that was the trigger. Even as he touched it, the general sensed his danger and leaped back with the agility of an ape. But he was not quite quick enough; the dead tree, delicately adjusted to rest on the cut living one, crashed down and struck the general a glancing blow on the shoulder as it fell; but for his alertness, he must have been smashed beneath it. He staggered, but he did not fall; nor did he drop his revolver. He stood there, rubbing his injured shoulder, and Rainsford, with fear again gripping his heart, heard the general's mocking laugh ring through the jungle.

"Rainsford," called the general, "if you are within sound of my voice, as I suppose you are, let me congratulate you. Not many men know how to make a Malay mancatcher. Luckily for me I, too, have hunted in Malacca. You are proving interesting, Mr. Rainsford. I am going now to have my wound dressed; it's only a slight one. But I shall be back. I shall be back."

When the general, nursing his bruised shoulder, had gone, Rainsford took up his flight again. It was flight now, a desperate, hopeless flight, that carried him on for some hours. Dusk came, then darkness, and still he pressed on. The ground grew softer under his moccasins; the vegetation grew ranker, denser; insects bit him savagely.

Then, as he stepped forward, his foot sank into the ooze. He tried to wrench it back, but the muck sucked viciously at his foot as if it were a giant leech. With a violent effort, he tore his feet loose. He knew where he was now. Death Swamp and its quicksand.

His hands were tight closed as if his nerve were something tangible that someone in the darkness was trying to tear from his grip. The softness of the earth had given him an idea. He stepped back from the quicksand a dozen feet or so and, like some huge prehistoric beaver, he began to dig.

Rainsford had dug himself in in France when a second's delay meant death. That had been a placid pastime compared to his digging now. The pit grew deeper; when it was above his shoulders, he climbed out and from some hard saplings cut stakes and sharpened them to a fine point. These stakes he planted in the bottom of the pit with the points sticking up. With flying fingers he wove a rough carpet of weeds and branches and with it he covered the mouth of the pit. Then, wet with sweat and aching with tiredness, he crouched behind the stump of a lightning-charred tree.

He knew his pursuer was coming; he heard the padding sound of feet on the soft earth, and the night breeze brought him the perfume of the general's cigarette. It seemed to Rainsford that the general was coming with unusual swiftness; he was not feeling his way along, foot by foot. Rainsford, crouching there, could not see the general, nor could he see the pit. He lived a year in a minute. Then he felt an impulse to cry aloud with joy, for he heard the sharp crackle of the breaking branches as the cover of the pit gave way; he heard the sharp scream of pain as the pointed stakes found their mark. He leaped up from his place of concealment. Then he cowered back. Three feet from the pit a man was standing, with an electric torch in his hand.

"You've done well, Rainsford," the voice of the general called. "Your Burmese tiger pit has claimed one of my best dogs. Again you score. I think, Mr. Rainsford, Ill see what you can do against my whole pack. I'm going home for a rest now. Thank you for a most amusing evening."

way of walking

walk:

walk:move on one's feet.
We walked to town.


limp: walk unevenly because one leg is hurt.
That man is hurt, he's limping.

hobble: walk with difficulty.
The old man hobbled along the street with the aid of his stick.

stagger: walk unsteadily as if about to fall.
He was so drunk that he staggered all the way home.

lurch: stagger.
The drunken man was lurching along the street.

tiptoe: walk on the tips of one's toes.
She tiptoed to the bed so as not to wake the baby.

stroll: walk for pleasure.
They srolled around the park.

amble: walk at a slow, leisurely pace.
They ambled along for miles.

saunter: stroll.
They sauntered around the park.

wander: move without a fixed purpose or destination.
They enjoy wandering through the countryside.

roam: wander.
They roamed through the streets for hours.

ramble: walk for pleasure with no particular destination.
He likes rambling around in the country.

stride: walk with long steps.
She strode across the fields.

strut: walk in a proud way, with the chest out and trying to look important.
He struted past us, ignoring our greeting.

trudge: walk slowly and with effort because one is tired.
We were very tired after trudging through the deep snow for two hours.

stump: walk heavily and stiffly.
They stumped up the hill.

plod: walk with heavy steps or with difficulty.
Labourers plodded home through the muddy fields.

pace: walk with regular steps.
He paced up and down the platform, waiting for the train.

march: walk with regular steps of equal length.
Demonstrators marched through the streets of the city.

crawl: move slowly with the body close to the ground or on hands and knees.
A baby crawls before he can walk.

toddle: walk with short unsteady steps.
Her two-year-old son toddled into the room.

creep: move slowly and quietly with the body close to the ground.
The cat crept silently towards the bird.

slide: move smoothly over a surface.
I was sliding on the ice.

slip: slide accidentally.
She slipped on the ice and broke her leg.

dash: move quickly and suddenly, rush.
I must dash or I'll miss the train.

dart: move quickly and suddenly in the specified direction.
She darted away when I came in.

scamper: run quickly and playfully.
The children were scampering up the steps.

trip over: catch one's foot on something and stumble or fall.
He tripped over the step and fell.

Topics : Good parents

Wealth and children are the adornment of life.

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom
said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so he loves
also the bow that is stable.

Kahlil Gibran
1883 - 1931
Lebanese poet, artist, and philosopher

How can I be a good parent?
There's not just one right way to raise children. And there's no such thing as a perfect parent--or a perfect child. But here are some guidelines to help your children grow up healthy and happy:

Show your love. Every day, tell your children: "I love you. You're special to me." Give lots of hugs and kisses.
Listen when your children talk. Listening to your children tells them that you think they're important and that you're interested in what they have to say.
Make your children feel safe. Comfort them when they're scared. Show them you've taken steps to protect them.
Provide order in their lives. Keep a regular schedule of meals, naps and bedtimes. If you have to change the schedule, tell them about the changes ahead of time.
Praise your children. When your children learn something new or behave well, tell them you're proud of them.
Criticize the behavior, not the child. When your child makes a mistake, don't say, "You were bad." Instead, explain what the child did wrong. For example, say: "Running into the street without looking isn't safe."
Then tell the child what to do instead: "First, look both ways for cars."
Be consistent. Your rules don't have to be the same ones other parents have, but they do need to be clear and consistent. (Consistent means the rules are the same all the time.) If two parents are raising a child, both need to use the same rules. Also, make sure baby sitters and relatives know, and follow, your family rules.
Spend time with your children. Do things together, like reading, walking, playing and cleaning house. What children want most is your attention. Bad behavior is usually their way of getting your attention.

---------------------

Grammar :Reported speech and question

Idioms 12:

up to date
out of date
to blow up
to catch fire
to burn down
to burn up
to burn out
to make good
stands to reason
to break out
as for
to feel sorry for( to talk pity on )

The Most Dangerous Game - Part 5 :

by Richard Connell

The general laughed with entire good nature. He regarded Rainsford quizzically. "I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life. Surely your experiences in the war--"

"Did not make me condone cold-blooded murder," finished Rainsford stiffly.

Laughter shook the general. "How extraordinarily droll you are!" he said. "One does not expect nowadays to find a young man of the educated class, even in America, with such a naive, and, if I may say so, mid-Victorian point of view. It's like finding a snuffbox in a limousine. Ah, well, doubtless you had Puritan ancestors. So many Americans appear to have had. I'll wager you'll forget your notions when you go hunting with me. You've a genuine new thrill in store for you, Mr. Rainsford."

"Thank you, I'm a hunter, not a murderer."

"Dear me," said the general, quite unruffled, "again that unpleasant word. But I think I can show you that your scruples are quite ill founded."

"Yes?"

"Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure. I am strong. Why should I not use my gift? If I wish to hunt, why should I not? I hunt the scum of the earth: sailors from tramp ships--lassars, blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels--a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more than a score of them."

"But they are men," said Rainsford hotly.

"Precisely," said the general. "That is why I use them. It gives me pleasure. They can reason, after a fashion. So they are dangerous."

"But where do you get them?"

The general's left eyelid fluttered down in a wink. "This island is called Ship Trap," he answered. "Sometimes an angry god of the high seas sends them to me. Sometimes, when Providence is not so kind, I help Providence a bit. Come to the window with me."

Rainsford went to the window and looked out toward the sea.

"Watch! Out there!" exclaimed the general, pointing into the night. Rainsford's eyes saw only blackness, and then, as the general pressed a button, far out to sea Rainsford saw the flash of lights.

The general chuckled. "They indicate a channel," he said, "where there's none; giant rocks with razor edges crouch like a sea monster with wide-open jaws. They can crush a ship as easily as I crush this nut." He dropped a walnut on the hardwood floor and brought his heel grinding down on it. "Oh, yes," he said, casually, as if in answer to a question, "I have electricity. We try to be civilized here."

"Civilized? And you shoot down men?"

A trace of anger was in the general's black eyes, but it was there for but a second; and he said, in his most pleasant manner, "Dear me, what a righteous young man you are! I assure you I do not do the thing you suggest. That would be barbarous. I treat these visitors with every consideration. They get plenty of good food and exercise. They get into splendid physical condition. You shall see for yourself tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll visit my training school," smiled the general. "It's in the cellar. I have about a dozen pupils down there now. They're from the Spanish bark San Lucar that had the bad luck to go on the rocks out there. A very inferior lot, I regret to say. Poor specimens and more accustomed to the deck than to the jungle." He raised his hand, and Ivan, who served as waiter, brought thick Turkish coffee. Rainsford, with an effort, held his tongue in check.

"It's a game, you see," pursued the general blandly. "I suggest to one of them that we go hunting. I give him a supply of food and an excellent hunting knife. I give him three hours' start. I am to follow, armed only with a pistol of the smallest caliber and range. If my quarry eludes me for three whole days, he wins the game. If I find him "--the general smiled--" he loses."

"Suppose he refuses to be hunted?"

"Oh," said the general, "I give him his option, of course. He need not play that game if he doesn't wish to. If he does not wish to hunt, I turn him over to Ivan. Ivan once had the honor of serving as official knouter to the Great White Czar, and he has his own ideas of sport. Invariably, Mr. Rainsford, invariably they choose the hunt."

"And if they win?"

The smile on the general's face widened. "To date I have not lost," he said. Then he added, hastily: "I don't wish you to think me a braggart, Mr. Rainsford. Many of them afford only the most elementary sort of problem. Occasionally I strike a tartar. One almost did win. I eventually had to use the dogs."

"The dogs?"

"This way, please. I'll show you."

The general steered Rainsford to a window. The lights from the windows sent a flickering illumination that made grotesque patterns on the courtyard below, and Rainsford could see moving about there a dozen or so huge black shapes; as they turned toward him, their eyes glittered greenly.

"A rather good lot, I think," observed the general. "They are let out at seven every night. If anyone should try to get into my house--or out of it--something extremely regrettable would occur to him." He hummed a snatch of song from the Folies Bergere.

"And now," said the general, "I want to show you my new collection of heads. Will you come with me to the library?"

"I hope," said Rainsford, "that you will excuse me tonight, General Zaroff. I'm really not feeling well."

"Ah, indeed?" the general inquired solicitously. "Well, I suppose that's only natural, after your long swim. You need a good, restful night's sleep. Tomorrow you'll feel like a new man, I'll wager. Then we'll hunt, eh? I've one rather promising prospect--" Rainsford was hurrying from the room.

"Sorry you can't go with me tonight," called the general. "I expect rather fair sport--a big, strong, black. He looks resourceful--Well, good night, Mr. Rainsford; I hope you have a good night's rest."

The bed was good, and the pajamas of the softest silk, and he was tired in every fiber of his being, but nevertheless Rainsford could not quiet his brain with the opiate of sleep. He lay, eyes wide open. Once he thought he heard stealthy steps in the corridor outside his room. He sought to throw open the door; it would not open. He went to the window and looked out. His room was high up in one of the towers. The lights of the chateau were out now, and it was dark and silent; but there was a fragment of sallow moon, and by its wan light he could see, dimly, the courtyard. There, weaving in and out in the pattern of shadow, were black, noiseless forms; the hounds heard him at the window and looked up, expectantly, with their green eyes. Rainsford went back to the bed and lay down. By many methods he tried to put himself to sleep. He had achieved a doze when, just as morning began to come, he heard, far off in the jungle, the faint report of a pistol.

Pronounciation :

She loves photographic magazines , although she doesn’t know anything about photography.
He taught them different computer languages.
His wallet was robbed in a jam-packed bus.
Alcohol will dissolve this paint thoroughly.
The new museum of modern art opens in February.
Some professors still believe that it is immoral to use calculators in exams.
Moving a few rungs up the career ladder will boost his morale.
In this region they still train carrier pigeons.
Wearing color contact lenses is quite in.
He could never be a successful comedian

Grammar : verb+prep+ing / expressions +ing

Topics: Insurance

The Most Dangerous Game - Part 4 :

by Richard Connell


The general filled both glasses, and said, "God makes some men poets. Some He makes kings, some beggars. Me He made a hunter. My hand was made for the trigger, my father said. He was a very rich man with a quarter of a million acres in the Crimea, and he was an ardent sportsman. When I was only five years old he gave me a little gun, specially made in Moscow for me, to shoot sparrows with. When I shot some of his prize turkeys with it, he did not punish me; he complimented me on my marksmanship. I killed my first bear in the Caucasus when I was ten. My whole life has been one prolonged hunt. I went into the army--it was expected of noblemen's sons--and for a time commanded a division of Cossack cavalry, but my real interest was always the hunt. I have hunted every kind of game in every land. It would be impossible for me to tell you how many animals I have killed."

The general puffed at his cigarette.

"After the debacle in Russia I left the country, for it was imprudent for an officer of the Czar to stay there. Many noble Russians lost everything. I, luckily, had invested heavily in American securities, so I shall never have to open a tearoom in Monte Carlo or drive a taxi in Paris. Naturally, I continued to hunt--grizzliest in your Rockies, crocodiles in the Ganges, rhinoceroses in East Africa. It was in Africa that the Cape buffalo hit me and laid me up for six months. As soon as I recovered I started for the Amazon to hunt jaguars, for I had heard they were unusually cunning. They weren't." The Cossack sighed. "They were no match at all for a hunter with his wits about him, and a high-powered rifle. I was bitterly disappointed. I was lying in my tent with a splitting headache one night when a terrible thought pushed its way into my mind. Hunting was beginning to bore me! And hunting, remember, had been my life. I have heard that in America businessmen often go to pieces when they give up the business that has been their life."

"Yes, that's so," said Rainsford.

The general smiled. "I had no wish to go to pieces," he said. "I must do something. Now, mine is an analytical mind, Mr. Rainsford. Doubtless that is why I enjoy the problems of the chase."

"No doubt, General Zaroff."

"So," continued the general, "I asked myself why the hunt no longer fascinated me. You are much younger than I am, Mr. Rainsford, and have not hunted as much, but you perhaps can guess the answer."

"What was it?"

"Simply this: hunting had ceased to be what you call `a sporting proposition.' It had become too easy. I always got my quarry. Always. There is no greater bore than perfection."

The general lit a fresh cigarette.

"No animal had a chance with me any more. That is no boast; it is a mathematical certainty. The animal had nothing but his legs and his instinct. Instinct is no match for reason. When I thought of this it was a tragic moment for me, I can tell you."

Rainsford leaned across the table, absorbed in what his host was saying.

"It came to me as an inspiration what I must do," the general went on.

"And that was?"

The general smiled the quiet smile of one who has faced an obstacle and surmounted it with success. "I had to invent a new animal to hunt," he said.

"A new animal? You're joking." "Not at all," said the general. "I never joke about hunting. I needed a new animal. I found one. So I bought this island built this house, and here I do my hunting. The island is perfect for my purposes--there are jungles with a maze of traits in them, hills, swamps--"

"But the animal, General Zaroff?"

"Oh," said the general, "it supplies me with the most exciting hunting in the world. No other hunting compares with it for an instant. Every day I hunt, and I never grow bored now, for I have a quarry with which I can match my wits."

Rainsford's bewilderment showed in his face.

"I wanted the ideal animal to hunt," explained the general. "So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?' And the answer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason."'

"But no animal can reason," objected Rainsford.

"My dear fellow," said the general, "there is one that can."

"But you can't mean--" gasped Rainsford.

"And why not?"

"I can't believe you are serious, General Zaroff. This is a grisly joke."

"Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting."

"Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder."

Recipe:

Breakfast Potatoes:

Recipe By : TASTE OF HOME - FEB/MARCH 1996
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breakfast

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 Medium potatoes -- peeled and sliced
1/4 Cup sliced onion
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/8 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 Cup Cheddar cheese -- shredded

Coat a 9" microwave safe plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange potato and onion slices on plate; sprinkle with
seasonings. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese. cover and microwave on high for 4-5
minutes or until potatoes are tender.

------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Indian Cucumber Salad
Categories: Diabetic, Salads, Vegetables
Yield: 4 sweet ones

3 md Size cucumbers; 1 ts Ground cumin;
1 c Plain low-fat yogurt; 1 ts Dried mint leaves;
1 tb Fresh lemon juice

Peel cucumber, cut in half, discard seeds and slice thinly. Mix
remaining ingredients together, add cucumbers and stir together.
Food Exchange per serving: 1 VEGETABLE EXCHANGE; CAL: 37; CHO: 1mg;
CAR: 6g; PRO: 3g; SOD: 46mg; FAT: 0g;

Souce: Light & Easy Diabetes Cuisine by Betty Marks.
Brought to you and yours via Nancy O'Brion and her Meal-Master
------------------------------------------------------------
EGG AND SAUSAGE STRATA

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Brunch

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
12 White bread slices -- cubed
1 1/2 pounds Pork sausage
1/3 cup Onion -- chopped
1/4 cup Green pepper -- chopped
1 Jars Pimiento; chopped -- drain
6 Eggs
3 cups Milk
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
Recipe by: Sue Klapper
Line a greased 9 x 13 pan with bread cubes; set aside.
In a skillet, brown sausage with the onion and green pepper; drain. Stir in
pimientos; sprinkle over bread.
In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauc,e mustard, salt, pepper and
oregano. Pour over sausage mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake,
covered, at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center
comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pronounciation: Sp St Sk

Grammar :Wish

Wishes and regrets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
You can use this structure when you would like things to be different from the way they actually are.
Use the verb wish to refer to how you would like things to be in the present or to talk about how you would like things to be in the future.
It can also be used to talk about the way things were in the past, but obviously the past can't be changed.
The general concept is sometimes known as 'wishful thinking' and often coincides with the use in Spanish of 'ojalá'.
Wishes about the present (and the future)
If you want to talk about your present situation, you can use the structure wish + past simple or continuous. For example:
I haven't got any money. I wish I had some money.
I don't earn much money. I wish I earned a lot of money.
We're all living in a small flat. I wish we weren't living in a small flat. I wish we were living in a big flat.

The same form can be used to talk about someone else's situation. However, there is another structure that you use to talk about actions that take place in the present, but you want them to change in the future. This structure is used to talk about another person, and generally about things you don't like. The structure is wish + would/could + infinitive. For example:
Your friend is always borrowing money from you because he never seems to have his bank card with him. You could say to him:
I wish you wouldn't keep borrowing money from me.
I wish you would remember to go to the bank from time to time.
Perhaps the same friend does lots of things that irritate you. Maybe he phones you early in the morning when you're still in bed. He might arrange to meet you and then turn up late. You could say to him:
I wish you wouldn't phone me so early in the morning.
I wish you would wait until later.
I wish you would tell me when you're going to be late.
Wishes about the future (and the present)
When you talk about the future, you use the same structure as you use to talk about present states. Some examples:
I have to go to the dentist tomorrow. I wish I didn't have to go to the dentist tomorrow.
I'll have to do some extra work over the weekend. I wish I didn't have to do any extra work over the weekend.
My brother is coming to stay with me next week. I wish my brother wasn't coming next week.
The future in these cases can't be changed (in theory), and so the situation is seen as unreal and has to be referred to using past tenses.
Wishes about the past: regrets
When you think about a situation in the past, naturally you can't do anything to change it. Therefore this is a way of expressing regret. The structure you use is wish + past perfect. For example:
You were too slow getting ready to go out. I wish you hadn't been so slow getting ready.
Now we've missed the train. I wish we hadn't missed the train.
I promised our friends we'd arrive on time. I wish I hadn't promised we'd arrive on time, because now they'll be waiting for us.

Notes
As mentioned above, the structure wish + would can't be used to talk about yourself. It is used to refer to actions, and you should be able to stop any action you're doing.
Therefore when you talk about yourself, you're talking about states you have no control over (I'm poor, I wish I was rich) or other people's actions that you have no control over either (I haven't got any money. I wish you'd give me some).
If your wish might come true, you should use a different type of verb. For example:
I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
I'd like to go to the Caribbean for my holiday next year.
I hope you get well soon.
You don't need to repeat all the verbs all the time:
My flat is cold. I wish it wasn't.
You smoke. I wish you wouldn't.
She told him! I wish she hadn't.

Idioms 11:

to keep out
to keep away
to find fault with
to be up to
ill at ease
to do over
to look into
to take hold
to get through
from now on
to keep track of
to be carried away