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Words and Their Stories: Fish Expressions | Words and Their Stories | Learning English/*
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Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
(MUSIC)
Americans use many expressions about fish and fishing. For example, if something sounds fishy, it may not be true. Sometimes I feel like a fish out of water when I go to a party and everyone but me is doing the latest dance. When I ask my friend if she likes my new dress, I would like her to say something nice. In other words, I am fishing for a compliment. You might tell someone to fish or cut bait if he repeatedly attempts to do something he is unable to do.
Sometimes a lawyer will ask a witness many questions in an effort to discover the facts of a court case. This is called going on a fishing expedition.
Some expressions involve different kinds of fish. Information that is used to draw attention away from the real facts of a situation is called a red herring. If you want to express a feeling of surprise, you might cry "holy mackerel!" although we do not know why a mackerel is holy.
Once I went to a county fair and tried my luck with a game of chance. It was so easy; it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Then I went on the fastest, highest and most frightening ride: the roller coaster. At the end of the ride, I did not feel so well. A friend said I looked green around the gills.
I grew up in a small town where everybody knew about my life. There were times when I thought I was living in a fishbowl. So I moved to Washington, where things were different.
Now I take the train to work every day during rush hour when many other people travel to their jobs. Sometimes the train is so crowded that we are packed in like sardines. Sardines are tiny fish that lie close to each other in cans.
One man who works in my office is a cold fish. He is unfriendly and does not like to join us at office parties. Another man in my office likes to enjoy alcoholic drinks at parties. In fact, you might say he drinks like a fish. We need to help him stop drinking.
Last week, my sister's car broke down as we were driving to a friend's marriage ceremony. "This is a fine kettle of fish," I said. "Now we will be late."
My sister attends a small college where she is one of the smartest students. She always wants to be a big fish in a small pond. Recently, my sister broke up with her boyfriend. I told her not to worry, she will find another one because there are plenty of other fish in the sea.
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Faith Lapidus. You can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at voaspecialenglish.com.
These are good expressions . I can learn and use it in my dialogue. Thanx
10-04-2011Abdulla(Azerbaijan)Thanks for useful lesson.
10-04-2011Ayna(Mongolia)Thanks a lot
10-04-2011mark(taiwan)good expressions
10-04-2011Wendong Yang(Main Land China)The audio file is long 5:30 (it is written) But we just can get 2:07.We can't download full file (audio file)
10-04-2011local chan(china)thank you
10-04-2011TL Wang(Big China Area.)If some guy use one word (like fish)alwasys, that was boring,right? But this aretical is Creative.
10-04-2011Duke(china)just to "thomas": Taiwan is onr part of China forever.so you just make a big mistake, you know that.
10-04-2011dita(prishtine)thnx VOA, for everything that you are doing for us ,to improve our ENGLISH language
10-04-2011dita(prishtine)thnx VOA, for everything that you are doing for us ,to improve our ENGLISH language
10-04-2011Alex Smirnov(Russia)A pretty kettle of fish!
10-04-2011matchgirl(china)These unique words are very interesting and funny,but at the same time very complex and difficult for me.I'm afraid I can not understand if someone speaks so to me.holy mackerel!!!
10-04-2011matchgirlHowever,I can find out similar expressions in my native language.
10-04-2011Teddy(china)thanx that is so funny and really boarden my horizon hah~~
10-04-2011cosmo(taiwan)so that same word some has different meaning
10-04-2011Y.C. Jung(South Korea)Your special colume; WORDS & THEIR STORIES really is a valuable yet simple guideline to learn a good English for many foreign students and I keep a special file for my three grand-children making it a textbook. Thank You!
10-04-2011Reza(Malaysia)Thanks guys, that sounds awesome, it's quiet amazing to learn the expressions with a touch of a story around it.Love you guys.....
10-04-2011maiphuong(vietnam)Many thanks VOA I learn more about fish expressions These expression are really interesting.
10-04-2011Jaw Souw(Thailand)I like your Song
10-04-2011YongYi(Malaysia)Thank you very much ! It is very useful!
10-04-2011Bob(Mali)Thank you again VOA I love so much Worlds and their stories.I would like one to explain me what the verb plus past participle might mean.This is an example: to get stuck or to get started.
10-04-2011Billy(Canada)Excellent stories.Thanks
10-04-2011Jorge Alfredo(Colombia)Cool and useful expressions... Thanks a lot.
10-04-2011Amin(Iran)Thanks a lot .Excellent
10-04-2011Maki(Japan)I have never expected there are many fish expressions. It was very helpful. In my country, someone gets into an exactly appropriate position, they will be called "a fish getting water" in Japanese. So, compared to "fish out of water," I felt a contrast.
11-04-2011Adam(Egypt)Hi
11-04-2011zhou(China)Yes,there are plenty of other fish in the sea,not only boyfriend but also career.good luck,everyone!
11-04-2011Angell(China)such a useful story.Thanks
11-04-2011a_little_love4492(vietnam)thank so much :)
11-04-2011That's interesting! Most of the fish expressions are easy to understand and learn, except for some expressions such as "red herring", "green around the gills". I can't think out of any of the relationships. By the way, in Chinese there is also a saying of "a fish getting water". Besides the situation mentioned by Maki, it can aslo be used when someone gets a right person.
11-04-2011Fred(France)This program has learnt me some American expressions that I didn't know a all. Now, I know them and I'll be able to use them in a specific context.Very informative.
11-04-2011Sun Li(China)Here I share an expression about fish in China:Don't teach fish to swim.
11-04-2011cuneyt(turkey)there is also multitute expressions in my country. one of that: anyone hear a conversation however s/he hasn't got any insight about the topic. but s/he wants to intervene the conversation and said ridiculous things. we say: do not leap like a carp!
11-04-2011Abdullah(Turkey)this expressions wtih words so good and funny. VOA is the best way to learn.
12-04-2011sun(china)wow, a lot of fish.
12-04-2011Aom Rotha(Cambodia)Even I am in Cambodia, country far from the US, but these slang and idioms are useful for me in my everyday English office! I can understand all about your language!
12-04-2011Denis(Russia)Good afternoon all people in the world. Very funny article but i didn't understand meaning some expressions. Of course i will be understand those articles if i will be live in America.
12-04-2011Tkashi(Japan)I like this program a great deal. For this, I desire to learn a lot.thanks to voa.
12-04-2011M@Kit was nice
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