Episode 85

EPISODE 85
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION 

 

ANGER

I left my job yesterday. It made me go crazy (= very angry)! My boss was so irritating (= he made me angry) and I always argued with the people I worked with (= we spoke in an angry way because of different opinions). The first time, for example, was when my boss asked me to prepare a presentation for the next day – I had to work all night – I went nuts (= became very angry)! The second time was when I helped a colleague with one of his clients, and then he told our boss that he did it all by himself! I was so furious I almost went through the roof (= an idiom meaning to become very very angry). The third time was when I did some really good work and I got a bonus – one of the other workers thought that he was better than me and he should get the bonus, and he started being aggressive and shouting at me! All of this just made me see red (= an idiom meaning to become very angry) and finally I decided to stop working there. Now I’m looking for a new, better job.

 

More contexts for the new words: 

• We argue a lot. (= We have a lot of arguments) 
• If you are angry, you can say that you go crazy / go mad / go nuts. 

 

EXERCISE 1 

Add the missing vowels (A, E, I, O, U) to complete the sentences.

 

1. My parents will go …………………… CRZY if they find out.
2. I always see …………………… RD when people don’t clean up after their dogs.
3. The politician’s comments provoked a …………………….. FRS public response.
4. You could go ………………………. NTS sitting around wondering what might happen.
5. She went through the ……………………. RF when she found out her husband had been cheating on her.
6. The police tried to control the …………………………. GGRSSV crowd.

 

EXERCISE 2 

Rearrange the words and phrases to make questions, and then answer them.

1. you went/ the last time/ through the roof?/ When was
2. of other people/ see red?/ makes you/ Which behavior
3. have you found/ today /irritating?/ Which events

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

Let’s look at ordinal numbers.

The first time was when my boss asked me to prepare a presentation for the next day.
The second time was when I helped a colleague with one of his clients.
The third time was when I did some really good work and I got a bonus.

1 (one) – 1st (first)
2 (two) – 2nd (second)
3 (three) – 3rd (third)
4 (four) – 4th (fourth)
5 (five) – 5th (fifth)
6 (six) – 6th (sixth)
7 (seven) – 7th (seventh)
8 (eight) – 8th (eighth)
9 (nine) – 9th (ninth)

More examples:

I have one dog.
I have three brothers.
This is my fifth cup of coffee today.
This is the eighth time I’ve watched this film.

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP 

A/ I haven’t finished that report.
B/ Uh-oh. The boss will BLOW HIS TOP when he finds out.

If you blow your top, you suddenly become very angry.

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

1. When you TICK someone OFF, you speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong. This is an informal British expression.

He ticked me off for parking in front of his house.
I had to tick him off for being late again.

 

2. When something bad such as violence or anger FLARES UP, it suddenly starts or gets much worse.

Violence flared up again last night.
Anger flared up when people had to wait at the airport.

 

EXERCISE 3 

Use the pictures to complete the sentences.

1. My asthma always ………………………………. up when there is lots of smog.
2. My father will ……………………………….  his top when he sees what happened to the car.
3. My teacher ……………………………….  me off for forgetting to do my homework.

 

NEWS

YOGA 

If everything drives you mad and you go nuts at the slightest noise, if you find everyone and everything irritating – then you definitely need an anger management technique. Many people have resorted to the ancient practice of yoga – the art of combining physical movement with controlled breathing and meditation.

Yoga is a perfect way to get back in sync with your body, but it can also give you a fully-fledged workout. For instance, Ashtanga Yoga, made popular by Madonna, provides some vigorous exercise which is sure to leave you all sweaty. This is a great way to vent all your negative feelings and emotions. So why don’t you find the closest yoga studio right now?

 

GLOSSARY 

– resorted to – tried doing

– in sync with – cooperating with

– fully-fledged – complete

– vent – let go of

 

download lesson (pdf)