english in a minute 一分钟英语.doc

Welcome to English in a Minute, where we teach you all about idioms in American English. Have you ever heard someone say: whats up? whats up? whats up? whats up? Lets take a look at this conversation: Man: Hey,whats up? Women: Whats up? How are you? Man: Im doing fine, thanks. This phrase is a casual expression and is normally used when youre talking to friends, family, or colleagues. You would not want to use it in a formal or business situation. Whats up? is a greeting. Its a different way of saying Whats happening? When you ask someone Whats up? in a conversation, its another way to say: hello, ask how things are going, how the person is feeling. Its a common greeting used by just about everybody in America! And thats English in a Minute. Welcome to English in a Minute, where we teach you all about idioms in American English. Have you ever heard someone say they were dressed to kill, dont worry, youre not in any danger -- its just the opposite. A: Do you see that couple over there? B: Yeah, it looks like they are going into that new restaurant. They look great! A: Oh, yeah! They are dressed to kill. In American English, dressed to kill! is a different way of saying dressed very attractively or dressed to impress. This phrase came from criminals... In the past, people who were professional criminals often dressed in fancy clothing to hide the fact that they were doing horrible things. So, if you were dressed to kill back then, you would be wearing a pretty nice looking outfit. And thats English in a Minute. If youre speaking American English and you see an old friend or colleague you havent seen in a while, you can say: Its been ages since weve talked. What does this mean? To find out, Lets listen to an actual conversation. A: How are you, I havent seen you for a few years! B: Im doing great! Its been ages since weve talked, hasnt it? A: Its been a long time, thats for sure. In American English, Its been ages is another way of saying, its been a long time or a lo