o Democracies provide people many freedoms and privileges. On the
other hand, democracies suffer many serious problems such as crime
and unemployment.
o My sister takes after my father in appearance. On the other hand, I take
after my mother.to turn down: to reduce in brightness or volume (S); to reject, to refuse (S)
o Please turn down the radio for me. It's too loud while I'm studying.
o Laverne wanted to join the military but the recruiting officer turned her
application down because Laverne is hard of hearing in one ear.
fifty-fifty: divided into two equal parts
o Let's go fifty-fifty on the cost of a new rug for our apartment.
o The political candidate has a fifty-fifty chance of winning the election.
to break in: gradually to prepare something for use that is new and stiff (S);
to interrupt (for the second definition, also: to cut in)
o It is best to break a new car in by driving it slowly for the first few
hundred miles.
o While Carrie and I were talking, Bill broke in to tell me about a
telephone call.
o Peter, it's very impolite to cut in like that while others are speaking.
a lost cause: a hopeless case, a person or situation having no hope of positive
change.
o It seems that Charles will never listen to our advice. I suppose it's a lost
cause.
o The police searched for the missing girl for two weeks, but finally gave
it up as a lost cause.
o Children who have committed several crimes as teenagers and show no
sorrow about their actions are generally lost causes.
above all: mainly, especially
o Above all, don't mention the matter to Gerard; he's the last person we
should tell.
o Sheila does well in all her school subjects, but above all in mathematics.
Her math scores are always over 95 percent.
LESSON 18
to do without: survive or exist without something (also: to go without)
With prices so high now, I'll have to do without a new suit this year.
o As a traveling salesperson, Monica can't do without a car.
o It's a shame that so many poor people in the world have to go without
basic necessities of life such as nutritious food and suitable shelter.
according to: in the order of; on the authority of
o The students on the football team were ranked according to height,
from shortest to tallest.