CONFIGURACIONES COGNITIVAS EN LAS ESTRATEGIAS

AROUND T H E H O U S E 61

Dialogue

Jessica: Your boob tube is on its last legs. The picture is going haywire. Andrew: It's been on the fritz lately. I hope it doesn't bite the dust before payday. Jessica: Let me fiddle around with it. Maybe I can doctor it up. Andrew: Uh oh, I can kiss that goodbye.

Vocabulary

boob tube on one's last legs haywire

on the fritz bite the dust fiddle around doctor up

kiss something goodbye

n.) television set

adj.) at the end of one's strength or usefulness adj.) broken, confused, awry

adj.) not working correctly, out of order v.) die, disappear

v.) work without a definite plan or knowledge v.) fix superficially or temporarily v.) see something ruined or lost

Exercise I.

a) fiddle around b) bit the dust c) on its last legs d) on the fritz e) haywire f) doctor it up g)boob tube h) kiss it goodbye 1. My car is giving me a lot of trouble. I don't think it can be fixed. It's __________________

2. My meal is ruined. What can I do to ______________________ ?

3. Tonight is going to be very boring. Nothing is on the __________________________

4. My child's toy doesn't work. I think I'll _______________________ with it.

5 . Nobody cared about my idea to increase business. I guess that idea ___________________

6. We had many plans for our vacation but it rained and everything went

7. He doesn't know what he's doing. If he tries to fix it, you can ________________________

8. My car didn't start this morning. The battery is __________________________

Exercise II.

1. My muffler is hanging from my car. I am going to have to temporarily fix it.

2. He was going to become a teacher but when he found out what they earned, he gave up that idea.

3. After the death of his father, his whole life became confused.

4. I think I' ll go home and watch television.

5 . I worked eight hours, went home and made dinner, cleaned up the house, did some laundry and helped the children with their homework. / have no more strength.

6. I don't get a clear picture on my television. It isn't working right.

7. He's trying to work that computer but he doesn't know exactly what he is doing.

8. He doesn't know' how to work that camera. That film is going to be ruined.

Lesson 62. Sprucing Up

AROUND THE HOUSE 62

Dialogue

John: We'll have to start from scratch to spruce up this house. It's really going to pot. Sue: Maybe we could scrounge around for some second-hand furniture and other stuff. John: I would like to make the house larger. We could use some mere elbow room. I'm beginning

to feel hemmed in. Sue: Forget it. Where are we going to dig up the loot for major repairs?

Vocabulary

from scratch spruce up go to pot scrounge around second-hand stuff elbow room hemmed in dig up loot

adv.) from the very beginning; starting with raw materials v.) clean, redecorate

v.) deteriorate; become undisciplined, unkempt v.) look in a lot of places for a certain item adj.) not new, previously used n.) things

n.) enough space to be comfortable adj.) crowded, cramped, uncomfortable v.) find, recall, discover n.) money

Exercise I.

a) scrounge around b) from scratch c) sprucing up d) went to pot e) stuff f) loot g) elbow room h) second-hand i) hemmed in j) dig up

1. The best apple pie is one made ______________________

2. I have no money. I'll have to ____________________ and see if there's any money in the house.

3. That's a fancy car. How much ____________________ will I need to buy it?

4. When springtime comes, most people feel like _______________________ clothes.

5. Sometimes it's better not to_____________________ memories of the past.

6. Usually the second or third child in a family gets _________________________ clothes.

7. When I play golf, I don't want people all around me. I need ____________________________

8. It's amazing how much ___________________ you can fit into your closet,

9. When there are too many people in one room, I feel _________________________

10. That house used to be very well kept. Now it's in very bad condition. It ________________________________

Exercise II.

1. It's too crowded. I need more space.

2. I'm looking for some junk food in this house.

3. That's a lot of money.

4. You have a lot of beautiful things.

5. Let's redecorate the house.

6. What did you find in the basement?

7. You can't sell used merchandise in that store.

8. Let's not use a cake mix. Let's start from the beginning.

9. It was a beautiful neighborhood many years ago. It's too bad it deteriorated.

10. I like the open spaces of the country. Whenever I'm in the city, I feel cramped.

Lesson 63. A Pad

AROUND THE HOUSE 57

Dialogue

Ellen: If you want a decent pad in that city, you have to pay under the table. Scott: You're led on a wild goose chase if you look for an apartment in the papers. Ellen: The apartment I saw today was so run-down. Scott: Maybe you could improve it if you use a lot of elbow grease.

Ellen: Nothing will help. I like everything spic and span. When anything is topsy-turvy, it turns my stomach.

Vocabulary

pad n.) apartment

under the table adv.) illegal money transaction, such as paying a bribe wild goose chase n.) absurd or hopeless search

run-down adj.) in bad condition

elbow grease n.) strength for cleaning spic and span adj.) very clean, very neat topsy-turvy adj.) upside down, in disarray turn someone's stomach v.) get someone sick and upset

Exercise I.

a) wild goose chase b) elbow grease c) run-down d)pads e) spic and span f) topsy-turvy g) under the table h) turns my stomach

1. Most teenagers want to get their own ________________________

2. Some people are collecting unemployment insurance even though they have a job where they're paid 3. I'm sorry to say that some children mistreat elders. It ____________________________

4. When you move from one apartment to another, everything is ____________________________

5. She didn't want the police to know where her boyfriend was, so she gave them false information which led them on a ___________________

6. I'm working very hard but not eating or sleeping properly. I think I'm________________________________

7. If you want that car to shine, use a little _________________________

8. She's always cleaning. Her apartment is ________________________

Exercise II.

1. Greasy food gets me sick.

2. She's a neat child. Her room is very clean.

3. That building is in bad condition.

4. The politician took a bribe.

5. She has a cute apartment.

6. They sent me from one place to another with no reason.

7. That floor is so dirty, you'll need a lot of strength to clean it.

8. All my clothes are thrown into my closet.