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[A] Negative Situation

LET'S UNLOCK WORDS AND PHRASES 🔐

exorbitant

[ ig-'zawr-bi-tuhnt ]

adjective

- exorbitant prices, demands, etc. are much too large

"To pay licensing fees -- many of which are sometimes exorbitant -- can be prohibitive, and may even result in authors deciding not to use images."

scramble

[ 'skram-buhl ]

verb

- to compete with other people for something there is very little of

People are scrambling to buy property before prices rise even further.

afloat

[ uh-'floht ]

adjective

- having enough money to pay what you owe and not have debts

Even when parent companies are fighting to stay afloat, you'll find an internet company boasting about its income

volatile

[ 'vol-uh-tl ]

adjective

- likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, or suddenly violent or angry

The stock market was highly volatile in the early part of the year.

cryptocurrency

[ 'krip-toh-kur-uhn-see ]

noun

- a digital currency produced by a public network, rather than any government, that uses cryptography to make sure payments are sent and received safely

While bitcoin still grabs headlines, when it comes to the future of cryptocurrency, we might be missing the more interesting story.

LET'S UNDERSTAND! 📚

Direction: Read and understand the different idiomatic expressions below.

A. nasty shock

  • an unpleasant surprise that is emotionally or mentally disturbing

2024_Negative Situation A

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

Did you hear about the sudden restructuring of the company?

Icon_Anna Happy

Sophia

Yes, it was a nasty shock for everyone. Nobody expected layoffs right before the holidays.

Icon_Alex

Alex

True. It’s disheartening how they made such a decision without prior warning.

B. harebrained scheme

  • a foolish or impractical plan.

2024_Negative Situation

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

Jake’s proposing we invest in his harebrained scheme to turn old cars into art installations.

Icon_Anna Happy

Sophia

That sounds absurd! Does he even have a proper business plan?

Icon_Alex

Alex

Not at all. He’s just chasing after another wild idea without thinking it through.

C. hastened his death

  • accelerated or sped up someone's demise, often due to circumstances or actions.

2024_Negative Situation C

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

The stress from managing the company single-handedly may have hastened his death.

Icon_Anna Happy

Sophia

I agree. He was always overworked and ignored the doctor’s warnings.

Icon_Alex

Alex

It’s tragic that he didn’t prioritize his health sooner.

D. threat of something hanging over something

  • an impending danger or risk that causes ongoing concern or fear.

2024_Negative Situation D

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

The threat of bankruptcy is hanging over the company after last quarter’s losses.

Icon_Anna Happy

Sophia

It’s unsettling. Employees are uncertain about their job security now.

Icon_Alex

Alex

Exactly, and the management hasn’t addressed the concerns yet.

E. lapse of judgment

  • a temporary failure to make the right decision or behave sensibly

2024_Negative Situation E

Dialogue

Icon_Alex

Alex

Leaving the keys in the car was a serious lapse of judgment.

John_Happy Icon

John

I know, and it cost me dearly when the car was stolen.

Icon_Alex

Alex

Next time, be more cautious. A simple mistake can have severe consequences.

LET'S PRACTICE! 📝

Part I

Direction: Choose the appropriate expressions to complete each of the sentences.

harebrained scheme nasty shock
threat something cuts hanging over something lapse of judgment
hastened his death

  1. It was a to send that email without proofreading it first.

  2. The lack of medical attention during the critical period .

  3. Losing his job unexpectedly was a to him, leaving him devastated.

  4. The budget cuts the department created tension among the staff.

  5. Starting a business without market research is nothing more than a .

Part II

Direction: Listen as your mentor reads the statements twice. Then, repeat after your mentor.

  1. 🔊

  2. 🔊

  3. 🔊

Part III

Direction: Paraphrase the following sentences. Make sure to paraphrase the underlined idiomatic expressions.

  1. Her decision to invest all her savings in a volatile cryptocurrency was a glaring lapse of judgment that she regretted deeply after the market crashed.

  2. The stress of managing the failing family business, coupled with his deteriorating health, undoubtedly hastened his death, leaving his family to mourn both his passing and the weight of unfulfilled dreams.