EPISODE 88
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1

 

READING COMPREHENSION 

BEING WORRIED 

I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long, but I’ve had some problems recently. In fact, I’m quite worried (= nervous for a longer time because of problems) about the future now.
You know I lost my job a few months ago – I’m still looking for something interesting, but it’s difficult and I’m beginning to get quite stressed (= worried about the situation) . I feel I’m in trouble (= I am in a difficult situation) because I’m too old now to start a completely new career and we are starting to have financial difficulties (= problems because I don’t have enough money) as well.
My wife Emma has had some health problems recently, which is also very troubling (= it makes me worried), and I don’t want to talk to her about my feelings because I don’t want to upset her (= make her worried, sad and unhappy) . She tries to be positive and sings 'Don’t worry, be happy’ to me all the time, but I can see she is also worried sick (= an idiom meaning very worried).
So, you can see I’m in hot water (= I have a lot of problems) now! I could really use a fishing weekend – how about sometime in May?
Robert

 

More contexts for the new words: 

  • I’m worried about the future. / I’m worried because of the situation. 
  • I’m stressed with my work. / I’m stressed because of my work. 

 

EXERCISE 1 

Add the missing vowels (a, e, I, o, u).

  1. I am in hot …………………… WTR after losing my job.
  2. I feel …………………… WRRD about my future.
  3. John has had some health …………………… PRBLMS recently.
  4. My wife is worried …………………… SCK about our kids.
  5. Teenagers often get themselves in …………………… TRBL.
  6. Work can make you quite …………………… STRSSD.

 

EXERCISE 2 

Match the question halves, then answer the questions.

  1. What health problems                         a. stressed? Why/ why not?
  2. When was the last time you had        b. financial difficulties?
  3. Does your job make you                      c. have you had recently?

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

There are many adjectives in English which end in ’-ed’ or ’-ing’. This is the difference between the two groups:

I am worried. The situation is worrying.
I am troubled. The situation is troubling.
I am bored. The film is boring.
I am interested. The film is interesting
.

Adjectives ending in ’-ed’ describe the way a person is feeling.
Adjectives ending in ’-ing’ describe something which has an effect on the person.

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP 

 

A/ There’s so much to do while renovating the house.
B/ DON’T WORRY ABOUT A THING. The people we’ve hired will take care of everything.

When you say ‘Don’t worry about a thing’, you advise someone not to be anxious, and say that everything will be all right.

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

  1. If you FREAK OUT, you start behaving in a very strange or violent way. This is an informal expression. You can also 'freak someone out’.

I freaked out when I saw my husband kissing another woman.
It freaked me out to discover that the girl I was talking to was really a boy.

 

  1. If you FLIP OUT, you start to behave in a very excited or strange way. This is informal and mainly used in American English.

He flipped out when they wouldn’t let him go to the party.
The children flipped out when they met Donald Duck.

 

EXERCISE 3 

Complete the mini-story, filling each gap with one word.

Sam and Sue were a very happy couple. One day, however, Sue saw Sam in the street, standing with his back to her, and kissing another woman! Sue really freaked (1) ……………………, ran to the man, hit him on the head with her handbag and started screaming. The man turned…  and it wasn’t Sam at all! He laughed and said nothing bad had happened. However, the woman he had been kissing thought that Sue was Sam’s ex-girlfriend, and she totally flipped (2) ………………………. –  she started shouting, ‘I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!’

The poor man didn’t know what to do. Suddenly an idea came to him and he started signing to himself, ‘Don’t worry about a (3) ………………………’ H e was a real optimist! 

 

 

NEWS 

Don’t Worry, Be Happy 

I’m sure you know the famous song ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ by Bobby McFerrin. But do you know the lyrics? Here’s the beginning: 

Here is a little song I wrote 
You might want to sing it note for note 
Don’t worry be happy 
In every life we have some trouble 
When you worry you make it double 
Don’t worry, be happy

Ain’t got no place to lay your head 
Somebody came and took your bed 
Don’t worry, be happy 
The landlord say your rent is late 
He may have to litigate 
Don’t worry, be happy 

Look at me I am happy 
Don’t worry, be happy 
Here I give you my phone number 
When you worry call me 
I make you happy 

And you? Who do you call when you worry?

 

GLOSSARY 

lyrics – text of a song
– a note – a musical sound
landlord owner of your flat
rent – money you pay for your flat
litigate  – go to court

 

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>>Answers

KEY TO EXERCISES  

 

Ex.1

  1. water
  2. worried
  3. problems
  4. sick
  5. trouble
  6. stressed

 

Ex. 2

  1. c
  2. b
  3. a

 

Ex.3 

  1. out
  2. out
  3. thing

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