by Alan Townend37. Cool expressions or «From one extreme to the other»..........
In this story will find many idioms with the word cool. As you know
an idiom is a fixed phrase that only makes sense when you learn it
as a whole because if you look at its words separately the phrase
doesn't make much sense, does it?
Look at the following example:
«This job seems to be a bit of a hot potato as nobody really wants
it.»
Now, I'm sure you understand this in this sentence the expression
the hot potato is nothing to eat but rather a task or a responsibility
that no-one wants to do or take. Maybe, you have your own
examples for hot potatoes? If so, you can send them to us via email
and we will help you cool them off.
In the meantime you might want to enjoy the following story. Do you
know what all the cool expressions in italics mean?
«From one extreme to the other»
As the railways lines start to buckle, the beaches continue to attract
thousands and the treasured pot plants in my garden wither in the
extreme heat, my befuddled brain, searching for air as the
temperature soars, has turned to the use we make in English of
expressions to do with the variations of hot and cold. Let me tell you
a story to show you what I mean:
Charlie could be relied on to get hot under the collar about almost
anything that upset him. Whereas most people who disagree with
you in an argument simply give you a frosty look and then move on.
Charlie would react in an entirely different way. When the argument
had hotted up, he would lose his cool and start to rant and rave.
Friends would take him to one side at his favourite pub and point out
that behaving like that in the heat of the moment was not doing his
heart any good. Getting hot and bothered over the smallest things
was not conducive to a long and happy life. Women, they said, would
tend to give him the cold shoulder if he continued to carry on like
this. Then someone in the pub who was noted for being practical and
could always see clearly as he said in the cold light of day,
mentioned that he'd read somewhere of a course to help people like
Charlie.
Another punter said he actually had a leaflet hot off the press giving
details of the course. The question was who was going to mention it
to Charlie as he could well flare up at the very idea. Dave, who at
first blew hot and cold at the idea, eventually agreed to take on the
task. There was a bit of tension at first as people waited for Charlie
to react but although he didn't exactly give it a warm welcome, he
did indicate that he would think it over and that helped to take the