Lesson 3 Making Ends Meet
Dialogue
Barbara: You're clotheshorse.
Harriet: I know. I love dressing up.
Barbara: Do you shop around a lot for bargains?
Harriet: I'm lucky. I work for a department store and I get a discount on merchandise.
Barbara: That's great because everything is sky-high.
Harriet: Yes, it's difficult making ends meet.
Barbara: We have to cut corners.
Harriet: Me too. I've cut down on luxuries.
Vocabulary
Clotheshorse: a conspicuously well-dressed person
Dress up: wear one's best clothes
Shop around: look in many stores
Great: terrific, wonderful
Sky-high: expensive
Make ends meet: balance one's budget, meet one's payments
Cut corners: limit one's buying
Cut down on: use less, reduce
Lesson 4 Raking it in
Dialogue
Florence: He was in the casino(*) and started to make a bundle. He was really raking it in.
George: I bet he thought he had it made.
Florence: Then he started losing his shirt.
George: With his temper, he probably hit the ceiling.
Florence: Sure. The casino took him to the cleaners.
George: Was he a good sport?
Florence: Oh no. He was a sore loser.
Vocabulary
make a bundle v.) make a lot of money
rake it in V.) make a lot of money
have it made V.) be sure of success ,have everything
lose one's shirt V.) lose all one's money
take someone to the cleaners v.) win all of someone's money; cheat someone
good sport n.) person who loses well
sore loser n.) person who gets angry when he loses
Lesson 5 Caught Short
Dialogue
Karen: At the end of the week, I'm always caught short.
Joanne: That's because money burns a hole in your pocket. I don't feel sorry for you.
Karen: How can I tighten my belt?
Joanne: You're going to have to do without in order to get along.
Karen: I know. I'll try brown bagging it. Within a short time I'll be in the chips again.
Vocabulary
caught short adj.) having an insufficient supply(esp. of money)when needed
burn a hole in one's pocket v.)to be spent quickly
feel sorry for v.) pity
tight one's belt v.) economize, spend and use less
do without v.) live without something
get along v.) manage
brown bag v.) bring one's lunch from home
in the chips adj.) having plenty of money
Dialogue
Barbara: You're clotheshorse.
Harriet: I know. I love dressing up.
Barbara: Do you shop around a lot for bargains?
Harriet: I'm lucky. I work for a department store and I get a discount on merchandise.
Barbara: That's great because everything is sky-high.
Harriet: Yes, it's difficult making ends meet.
Barbara: We have to cut corners.
Harriet: Me too. I've cut down on luxuries.
Vocabulary
Clotheshorse: a conspicuously well-dressed person
Dress up: wear one's best clothes
Shop around: look in many stores
Great: terrific, wonderful
Sky-high: expensive
Make ends meet: balance one's budget, meet one's payments
Cut corners: limit one's buying
Cut down on: use less, reduce
Lesson 4 Raking it in
Dialogue
Florence: He was in the casino(*) and started to make a bundle. He was really raking it in.
George: I bet he thought he had it made.
Florence: Then he started losing his shirt.
George: With his temper, he probably hit the ceiling.
Florence: Sure. The casino took him to the cleaners.
George: Was he a good sport?
Florence: Oh no. He was a sore loser.
Vocabulary
make a bundle v.) make a lot of money
rake it in V.) make a lot of money
have it made V.) be sure of success ,have everything
lose one's shirt V.) lose all one's money
take someone to the cleaners v.) win all of someone's money; cheat someone
good sport n.) person who loses well
sore loser n.) person who gets angry when he loses
Lesson 5 Caught Short
Dialogue
Karen: At the end of the week, I'm always caught short.
Joanne: That's because money burns a hole in your pocket. I don't feel sorry for you.
Karen: How can I tighten my belt?
Joanne: You're going to have to do without in order to get along.
Karen: I know. I'll try brown bagging it. Within a short time I'll be in the chips again.
Vocabulary
caught short adj.) having an insufficient supply(esp. of money)when needed
burn a hole in one's pocket v.)to be spent quickly
feel sorry for v.) pity
tight one's belt v.) economize, spend and use less
do without v.) live without something
get along v.) manage
brown bag v.) bring one's lunch from home
in the chips adj.) having plenty of money