Freak out

"Freak out" is exactly the same as saying "to panic", to lose your composure, to come unglued or to get really scared.

1.  Do you freak out when you see just a drop of blood?

2. Do you freak out when you see a flying cockroach at home or a bee in the car? What advice would you give to someone who usually freaks out about spiders and insects in general?

3. On the road… When you almost have an accident, do you freak out or do you keep your calm?

4. In an assault situation, how do you or would you react? Do you visibly freak out or are you maybe paralyzed with fear? 

Suck up to (someone)

Thoughtful = considerate         

If you “suck up” to someone, it is an informal way of saying that you are trying to gain someone’s favor or approval by being nice or doing something nice for them. You can suck up to someone by flattering them (giving insincere praise).


1.  Someone who is a teacher’s favorite student is called the “teacher’s pet”. It could be that the student always sucks up to the teacher, or because he/ she is the best student. Were you ever a teacher’s pet? If not, did you resent the student who was the teacher’s pet? What is the best way to suck up to a teacher?

2. In an article on forbes.com, “The Fine Art Of Sucking Up To Your Boss”, it says, “There's an art to sucking up, and if the boss (or your co-workers) can figure out what you're up to, you're not doing it right. More importantly, it will backfire. Your goal is to develop trust between you and your manager, since the projects you work on and whether you get promoted is directly tied to your relationship with him or her.”

Go off

A sound that is programmed to be activated at a specific time, either pre-programmed or by stimulus. “Go off” also means to explode. The preposition “off” seems to be a contradiction, since the opposite, “on”, seems more logical.
-> Obviously a sun dial cannot be programmed to “go off” like an alarm clock… and that’s why the comic is funny.

1. A landmine goes off when someone steps on it, a hand grenade goes off when the safety pin is released and a bomb will go off when it is triggered through a number of mechanisms.

   

2.  When your alarm clock goes off, do you hit the snooze button so that you can sleep for an extra 5-10 minutes? How many times do you hit the snooze button before you finally get out of bed?

A drawback

A drawback is a synonym for a disadvantage/ a minus/ a con/ an inconvenience. (Advantages & disadvantage/ pluses & minuses/ pros and cons). We usually use “drawback” after something positive has already been said… we’re going to mention the negative points. There are drawbacks to almost everything!

1. If you are self-employed, like I am, it has its pluses: I get to create my own schedule, I have no boss, I get to work from home etc. It does have its drawbacks, though: The “salary” is not constant, I don’t get benefits like paid vacation, and I have other distractions at home… but I’d have to say that there are more positives than negatives. After all, “You can’t have your cake and eat it!” (you can’t have everything). What are the particular drawbacks in your line of work?
   

2.  Do you think there are any drawbacks to marriage, or do you think that marriage is a “bed of roses”? Surely the positives must outweigh the negatives, don’t you think? What are some of the positives?

Catch on

If something catches on, it becomes popular... people start using or following it. It could be related to technology, fashion, slang phrases, etc.

1.  It took no time at all for Facebook to catch on in Brazil and surpass Orkut. It practically happened overnight. In fact, all forms of social media caught on really quickly here.

2. Do you think it’s easy for anyone to make up (“invent”) a new phrase and make it catch on so that the whole population starts using it? Perhaps social media helps to spread the word much easier these days.

That rings a bell

   

If any information rings a bell, it causes you to remember something. What someone is telling you is vaguely familiar. If a phrase or a word, especially a name, rings a bell, you think you have heard it before.

1. When my students ask me if I have ever heard of a place in Brazil, an expression in Portuguese, a Brazilian politician etc, I usually say, “I think so… that rings a bell”, sometimes even if I have definitely never heard of it. I don't want to show my ignorance!

2.  - Does the name of a TV series “Dexter” ring a bell?
     - Is that the child scientist who has a laboratory in the 
       basement of his parents’ home?
     - No… you’re talking about the cartoon for kids. I’m talking 
       about the serial killer who kills killers.

Stand out

If someone or something stands out, it/ they are conspicuous, distinctive, very noticeable, or very different. It could be something exceptional or of singular importance. (Se destacar)

1. When Brazilians travel around the world, they stand out amongst other nationalities because of the way they walk, especially Brazilian women.


2. Here is a quote from the late Ayrton Senna: “Racing, competing, it's in my blood. It's part of me, it's part of my life; I have been doing it all my life and it stands out above everything else”. Ayrton Senna stood out from everyone else.

No wonder...

It’s no surprise, we don’t have to guess why, we don’t have to imagine why.

1. - You work 70 hours a week and are always under pressure with your job. No wonder you have ulcers!
   
2.  After decades of oppressive regimes in the Middle East, it’s no wonder those nations have been revolting.

3.  With one of the most spectacular coastlines in the world, it is no wonder that much of life in Brazil revolves around the beach, whether it’s a vacation, daily strolls to contemplate or simply to celebrate life.

4.  With the impact people are making on the environment and the “carbon footprint” we’re leaving behind, there’s no wonder that the climate around the world is changing and we are experiencing extremes.