Idiom of the day: (like) water off a duck's back
Meaning: You can say an insult or criticism is like
water off a duck's back if it doesn't upset you.
For example: I asked Amy if she got upset when
journalists wrote negative things about her, and she said she didn't care what
they wrote - it was like water off a duck's back.
Phrasal verb of the day: fall in
Meaning: If a roof or a ceiling falls in, it falls
to the floor because it's been weakened or damaged.
For example: fall in There was a loud crash,
and then the ceiling fell in.
Proverb of the day: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
Meaning: Good knowledge of an art or profession is essential to be successful in life. A man with insufficient knowledge will always cause harm to himself and others.
Illustration:
It was a fine Sunday afternoon. Nine-year-old Rohit helped his mother clear the table, after lunch. "Ah, that's a job, well done, my boy!" his mother patted him. Then she said, "Grow up quickly, my boy. Then you too can do many other things like carrying out minor repairs as your father does. How I wish your father were here! But, no, he is on tour most of the time. I now have a leaking tap. The plumber never turns up for odd jobs, even if I tell him a dozen times.
"I can do it, Ma/' Rohit offered.
"Oh, no," she yawned and moved to the bedroom for a nap. Soon she was fast asleep.
Rohit told himself, "Setting the tap right should be easy. I have watched dad doing it a number of times." He remembered the steps, "Pick up a spanner. Tighten it round the neck of the tap. Unscrew the tap. Replace the washer. Put the head back in place and screw it tight."
It looked quite simple. Rohit tip-toed to the shelf at the rear veranda, picked up the tool box and ran to the bathroom. The tap was leaking.
Rohit pulled out the wrench, set it round the neck of the tap and tightened its jaws. Then he tugged, with all his strength. The head refused to budge."What would dad have done?" Rohit thought. Then he remembered, "He would hit the free end of the spanner with a heavy stone."
He did that. The stone landed on his thumb. He winced with pain. Tears welled up in his eyes. Then he controlled himself, "I must do this job. Mamma expects it of me." He hit again. This time he was successful.
The tap turned. Water gushed out. Rohit got drenched. But he did not mind that. Then he got a real shock when the head of the tap, pushed by the gushing water flew in to space. It hit the wall and bounced back into Rohit hitting him on the tip of his nose. "Ouch!" he sobbed. Meanwhile the head of the tap dropped down, rolled along with the water and got stuck into the outlet.
Rohit groped around, as the water began to rise in the bathroom. He tried to prise the head out. But he could not. Water gathered in the bathroom. Soon his feet were under water. "What shall I do now?" he wondered.
He decided to use the screw driver to prise the head out. That was when he heard his mother bellow, "Hey, Rohit. What are you up to?" She caught hold of him firmly and dragged him out, saying, "What do you know of this job?"
"But, Ma, I have seen dad doing it, several times," Rohit mumbled.
"So what your knowledge is incomplete. You should have done this first," she cut off the supply of water by closing the main valve. Then she managed to clear-the blockage. Water drained out.
"See the mess you have created...." She stopped on noticing the swollen thumb and the red nose and growled, "The bathroom is now a pool. And your thumb and nose are a bloody mess." She led him to the medicine chest and dressed up the wound telling him, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Remember that Always."
Significance:
we must learn everything completely, it may be a small thing if we try to
anything without complete knowledge It will lead us a unpleasant situation.
Conclusion:
An empty vessel makes much noise. We should make our self with complete
knowledge then only we can succeed in our life.
Common errors in English
Sentence:
- Ramu has applied for freeship (Incorrect)
- Ramu has applied for free- studentship (Correct)
Explanation: Freeship is wrong usage, free-
studentship is the correct usage.
We often confused and commit the mistake in
use of certain nouns.
English blues
What is the difference between ‘I have two brothers and a sister’ and ‘I have got two brothers and a sister’?
In terms of meaning, there is no
difference between the two. In both cases, you are telling someone that you
have three siblings. The two sentences, however, would be used in different
contexts. Native speakers of English would limit the use of the second sentence
(have got) to informal contexts. Also, in the case of ‘have got’, native
speakers generally prefer to use the contracted form of ‘have’.
For example: “I’m sorry I’ve got
no money on me”. “You’ve got to help me.”
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