Dialogue about Body idioms in English with Quiz

Intermediate Listening Series 5 Lesson 9- Dialogue about Body idioms in English

In this lesson, you listen to an English conversation between two people talking about body idioms.

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English Listening Lesson Audio with Script

Lesson Audio

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Lesson Script

Jim: So Meg, in the last one we were talking about idioms, but we didn’t cover them all. Let’s go over some more idioms.

Meg: OK.

Jim: Alright so the first one is what activity is in your blood?

Meg: Hmm, I would say anything with nature in my blood, so hiking or especially kayaking. I love going kayaking, and so it’s hard for me to resist if I’m in a place with beautiful nature, I need to go outside.

Jim: So what about baking? Isn’t baking sort of just natural for you. Don’t you just love to bake? Isn’t it in your blood?

Meg: I do also love to bake. Yeah. I guess hiking and baking are both in my blood together, kind of two different activities. So baking especially when I can make very creative and decorative desserts, to share with people, so I don’t like to bake for myself, but sharing with others, it’s quite enjoyable for me. Do you have any activities or things that are in your blood?

Jim: Well, I think one is just teaching. I love teaching. I just want to teach all the time. Even if I won the lottery, I would be a teacher. I just like thinking of lessons, thinking of new ideas for lessons, trying technology with lessons, so even on my free time, I like thinking about it. And another thing is jogging. Even though, most people are surprised because I’m a little fat. I’m about 20 pounds overweight, but I run almost every day.

Meg: I think I’ve seen you running before.

Jim: Yeah, I literally run every day. Like if I don’t run, I feel terrible, like it’s the most relaxing thing for me.

Meg: Yeah.

Jim: I can’t go two or three days – two days maybe – but I can’t go three or four days without running.

Meg: So jogging is really in your blood?

Jim: Yeah, and I started when I was a kid. You know the movie Forest Gump, where he just starts running.

Meg: Right, yes, yes.

Jim: That was me as a kid.

Meg: Run Forest Run!

Jim: I would just run out of my driveway, also in the country, and just go running for an hour

Meg: Wow!

Jim: Just to run, I thought it was fun.

Meg: Well, that’s great.

Jim: Yeah, it’s definitely in my blood.

Jim: OK, so we’ll talk a little about feelings. So when you get criticized, do you take it to heart?

Meg: I think my first reaction, is to take it to heart, so sometimes I might be a little oversensitive when I first get criticized, but after some time passes and I’m able to think about it, usually I can see how that criticism can be useful, and I can try to make a change or improve something. Or I can decide that I don’t care about that person’s opinion. What about you? What do you do? How do you respond?

Jim: Yeah, I used to take things to heart a lot, but as I’ve gotten older, as many people do, now a lot of it just rolls off my back, as we say, like water off a duck’s back, so it doesn’t bother me at all

Meg: Yeah.

Jim: Yeah, I just realize everybody has different opinions and don’t worry about it.

Meg: Yeah, I think that’s a good attitude to have.

Jim: Yeah, OK, so the next one also about feelings and opinions. So are you more likely to bite your lip, or speak your mind when you disagree with somebody?

Meg: I think it depends on the situation, so if I feel like someone else is being treated unfairly or there are some rules that are there for a reason that should be followed, I am ore likely to speak my mind, but if it’s something personal, or just related to me I might bite my lip to try to keep the peace. What would you do, bite your lip or speak your mind?

Jim: Well, I have a big mouth, so no, I always speak my mind. So I have a really big mouth. I just never keep it inside. Yeah, it’s really hard for me to bite my lip.

Meg: Hmm.

Jim: Yeah, so. That can be a bad thing.

Meg: But sometimes good.

Jim: Yeah, say it like it is, as they say.

English Listening Lesson Quizzes

Answer these questions about the interview.

1) What is in her blood?

1. a) dancing
2. b) running
3. c) baking

2) What is in his blood?

1. a) hiking
2. b) nature
3. c) running

3) Who is more likely to bite their lip?

1. a) He is
2. b) She is
3. c) Neither of them

4) Who has a big mouth?

1. a) He does
2. b) She does
3. c) They both do

5) If something rolls off you back, that means …

1. a) you are upset
2. b) you are not upset
3. c) you feel awkward

Answers

• 1=c
• 2=c
• 3=b
• 4=a
• 5=b

English Grammar Tips

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English Listening Lesson Phrases

in my blood

Baking is in my blood

When something is in your blood, that means you really enjoy it and it is a part of your life. Notice the following:

1. Surfing is in his blood.
2. I would say dancing is in her blood.

take it to heart

Do you take it to heart?

When you take something to heart, you are emotional about it. Notice the following:

1. When we lose, I take it to heart.
2. His book was not popular, and he took it to heart.

bite your lip

I often bite my lip and do not say anything.

When you bite your lip, you do not say something because you do not want to upset someone or make things tense. Notice the following:

1. When I saw his ugly haircut, I bit my lip.
2. Biting your lip is often the polite thing to do.

speak your mind

You should speak your mind.

When you speak your mind, you say what you feel. Notice the following:

1. Don’t be shy. Speak your mind.
2. He is never afraid to speak his mind.

water off a duck’s back

It is just water off a duck’s back.

This phrase means that criticism does not affect you. Notice the following:

1. The criticism was like water off a duck’s back.
2. You can complain, but she does not care. It is just water off a duck’s back.

big mouth

I have a big mouth.

A person with a big mouth often talks when they shouldn’t. Notice the following:

1. He has such a big mouth.
2. Don’t tell her. She has a big mouth.

Quizzes for Lesson Phrases

• blood
• back
• heart
• lip
• mind
• mouth

1. It was just water off a duck’s……….  .
2. Don’t take it to……..  .
3. You need to bite your……….  .
4. He has such a big……….  .
5. He always speaks his……..  .
6. Fishing is in his……….  .

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