An Intermediate Level Conversation
idioms:
cross your finger and hope for the best
Jim: I've got this airplane ticket. It's a two-way ticket from New York to Barcelona for only 450 dollars for six-days stay. Now, it has come down to 390 dollars this week.
Stacy: Wow! When are you leaving?
Jim: Next week, Thursday, 9 p.m. But I am wondering if I should ask for a refund for 55 dollars.
Stacy. Why not? However, you have to make sure it's a good deal. Which airline is that?
Jim: It's American United. You're absolutely right. I'll check up with them.
Stacy: Are they good?
Jim: They are rated as one of the tops. I've flied with them before. I had no problem. There was no delay. The food and service were first class. But it was a short trip from New York to Chicago, two-way though.
Stacy: But this time is an overseas flight. So, it's a different ball game. Isn't it?
Jim: Yeah. But, in general, their ratings are all good. I haven't reviewed their overseas ratings yet.
Stacy: Well. I don't want to discourage you. But, isn't it a little too late for that now?
Jim: Maybe. By now, I should have done more research on their overseas performance. I'll look it up tonight. If I see a problem, I can always return the ticket.
Stacy: But they must have a return policy. How could you return the ticket for a refund now? You purchased it almost six months ago.
Jim: This is just an idea if worst comes to worst, I will do that. But I don't think I am ripped off.
Stacy: Ok. Cross your finger and hope for the best.
idioms:
if worst comes to worst: When something or a condition or a situation gets too bad, we cannot make it better. Example:If worst comes to worst, I will take that bad job. This sentence means: I cannot get a better job; I have no other choice. So I will take that bad job.
cross your finger and hope for the best: a situation you cannot do anything about. Example:
A: The economy is getting worse. I will lose my job because my company is laying off employees.
B: Why not look for another job right now?
A: I've tried. But no luck.
B: Well. Cross your finger and hope for the best.
This sentence means: You can't do anything about it. So you will have to face whatever happens. All you can do is hope for the best to happen to you.
Vocabulary:
two-way ticket: a ticket that allows you to go to the destination and come back from that destination. Example: If you have a two-way plane ticket to Paris, the price you paid covers flying to Paris and coming back from Paris to your place.
deal: something we get in shopping, doing business and etc. Example: This is a good deal. I only paid 10 dollars for two tickets for that show. This sentence means: I paid very little for the ticket for the value of the show.
airplane: plane. a transportation vehicle that flies in the air from one destination to the other
a different ball game: a very different situation
come down to: to become less; come down to a certain point. Example: My monthly expenses has come down to 150 dollars.
refund: to give back money for a product or service a customers has returned
make sure: to take all steps, to examine before hand in order to be certain. Example. Make sure we have enough food for the guests. This sentence means: Examine our food supply; see if we have enough food for the guests.
bargain: a good product or service but cheaper than usual price. There is a bargain on books this week at the book store. This sentence means: There are cheaper good books in the store. It is worth buying them because they are cheaper yet good quality.
airline: airplane company. For example: Delta Airline, Asian Pacific Airline, British Airline
check up with: to examine something by calling, speaking to people, company. Example: Check up with your local library for that book. This sentence means: Call or go to the library and ask if they carry that book.
it's rated: It is graded for the quality of a product. Example: This restaurant is not rated yet, so I have no idea about it and don't want to eat there. This website is rated high, and I can see why. They have excellent conversation lessons.
top: to be high in quality or in order. Example: A top rated movie is always good to see.
have flied with: the present perfect of 'fly': to fly: to get on the plane to travel
delay: adjective, not to arrive in time, to be late
had no problem with them: the past tense of have.To have no problem with means: to experience no problem or difficulty in a situation. Example: I have no problems with my children. This sentence means: They are good children. I have no difficulty managing my children.
trip: journey; taking a bus, train or airplane to travel
though: to the contrary, although
overseas: different continent. Example: If you live in a country in Asia and travel to Italy in Europe, then you have traveled overseas.
flight: a scheduled plane for a certain time and destination. Example: My flight for Los Angeles is at 6 p.m. tonight. This sentence means. I have a scheduled plane that will leave for Los Angeles at 6 p.m. tonight.
rating: the evaluation for quality given to a product
discourage: verb. to make someone to take no action. Opposite of 'encourage'. Example: He discouraged me to take that job. This sentence means: He recommended you not take that job. He must have said into the effect: That's not a good job. They don't pay well; the job has no future, and etc.
little late: rather late. it is late.
look it up: to search for things, ideas or people. Example: I looked up that word in the dictionary. I looked up for my eye glasses every where but couldn't find them.
performance: the quality and level of productivity. Example: His job performance is very good. They will raise his salary. This sentence means this: He is productive, pleases his superiors, customers; get along with co-workers and everybody; he is a good worker.
return: verb. to take a product back and get a refund. Example:I have returned the shoes and got refund. They were too tight.
refund: the money you get back if you return a product.
return policy: a company's rules for accepting back their products from customers by paying back the money you pay for the merchandise or by giving store credit.
I am ripped off: I paid too much money for a worthless product.
I should have done more research on something, somebody, some products, and etc. The Present Perfect Tense used with 'should' means this: I have not done what I needed to do and I understand that. It would have been wise if I had done more research on their performance, I would have benefited from my research; I would have learned if it was worth paying this much money for their ticket. But, I didn't do it and I regret not doing it. In order to use I should have ..., make sure the action took place in the past. Example: I have failed the test. I should have studied harder. This statement means this: I regret not studying hard enough. If I had studied harder, I could have passed the test, but I didn't. This action took place in the past.
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