Assignment Of

Dictation

By :
- Novrima Listya
- Hatiah
- M. Yusuf

English
Department
 UNISKI
Kayuagung
2010
Idioms
1. Make a difference
- to cause a change in a situation
It does not make a difference whether our boss comes to the meeting or not.

2. Make sense
- to seem reasonable
His new proposal really does make sense.

3. Make sure
- to make certain, to establish something without a doubt
I want to make sure that my friend is going to meet me tomorrow.

4. No matter
- regardless
No matter how hard that I try, my piano teacher is never satisfied.

5. Not at all
- certainly not
I am not at all happy with my new computer.

6. Of course
- certainly, definitely, naturally
Of course you can use my car if you want to.

7. On the other hand

- however, in contrast, looking at the opposite side of a matter
He is very intelligent but on the other hand he is very lazy and always gets low
marks at school.

8. On time
- at the scheduled time, exactly at the correct time, punctually
 Our train arrived exactly on time.

9. Right away
- immediately
I forgot to bring my book but I will go home and get it right away.

10. Show up
- to appear, to arrive, to be present
What time did your friend show up for the party?

Proverbs
1. Different strokes for different folks
- everyone has different interests and tastes
The man loves to read all night and sleep all day. It is different strokes for different folks.

2. Discretion is the better part of valor

- it is better to be careful and use discretion than to be too courageous and take
unnecessary risks
Discretion is the better part of valor and the man decided not to make a complaint against
his company.

3. Children and fools speak the truth

- children and fools say things without knowing or thinking what they mean but often
what they say is true
The child said that the woman was very fat. This was true. Children and fools speak the
truth.
4. Birds of a feather flock together
- people who are similar often become friends or spend time together
The four boys were similar in every way and a good example that birds of a feather flock
together.
5. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't
- it may be better to endure a situation that you are accustomed to than to risk a change
for something that may be worse
My friend wanted to change banks but he felt that it was better the devil he knew than the
devil he didn't so he stayed with his old bank.

6. Beauty is only skin deep

- looks are superficial and sometimes a beautiful person may have unpleasant
characteristics
The woman is not very beautiful but beauty is only skin deep and her personality is
wonderful.
7. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
- do not criticize a gift that you receive
The little girl did not like the present from her aunt but her mother told her not to look a
gift horse in the mouth.

8. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

- knowing a little about something may make someone believe that they know too much
about something and therefore make bad choices or choices that other people dislike
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and when the citizens of the poor country became
better educated, they began to make choices that the government did not like.
9. Necessity is the mother of invention
- if you need something you will be motivated to get it
Necessity is the mother of invention and we fixed the door by using an old coat hanger.
10. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones
- you should not complain about other people or criticize them unless you are perfect
yourself
The man always criticizes his friend for gossiping about other people but people who live
in glass houses should not throw stones. He always does the same thing himself.

Phrasal V
erbs
1. Ask someone out
- invite on a date
Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.

2. Ask around
- ask many people the same question
I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
.
3. Add up to something
- equal
Your purchases add up to $205.32.
4. Back something up
- reverse
You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.

.5. Back someone up

- Support
My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.

6. Blow up
- explode
The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.

7. Blow something up
- add air
We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
8. Break down
- stop functioning (vehicle, machine)
Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.

9. Break down
- get upset
The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.

10. Bring someone down

- make unhappy
This sad music is bringing me down.
 Slang
1. Kick your ass
- To beat decisively; to give a severe beating; to rough someone up.
Don’t mess with the bouncer unless you want him to kick your ass.

2. Pig out
- To eat large amounts of good quickly and without good manners; to overeat.
The pizza is here! Let’s pig out!

3. Junk Food
- Food that has a little or no nutritional value, usually high in fat and calories;
sweet or fried snacks like candy and potato chips.
If you want to lose weight, you should stop eating so much junk food.

4. Dicey
- Risky, dangerous
Getting into a fight with Tom is very dicey, he is a black belt in karate.

5. Klutz
- A clumsy person; an awkward or physically incompetent individual.
I should never have let you hold my favorite vase, you are such a klutz !

6. La la land
- An unreal place; a fantastic dreamworld.
Most celebrities live in la la land of luxury hotels, expensive cars and exotic travel.

7. Low-life
- A person with bad habits or a questionable lifestyle; someone who doesn’t
amount to much in society.
I don’t understand how they could let such a low-life out of prison.

8. Zillionaire
- A very, very rich person.
Someday I’ll be a zillionaire, just like Bill Gates.

9. Uncle Sam
- The U.S. government; a patriotic figure who symbolizes the United States.
No matter how much money I make in a year, Uncle Sam always gets a big chunk of it.
10. Up for grabs
- Freely available; ready to be taken
I don’t want my sandwich, it’s up for grabs if anyone wants it.

HOMOPHO
NES
1. Affect – Effect.
• She wanted to affect the students in a way they’d never forget.
• The effect of the performance was stunning.
2. Allowed – Aloud.
• His mother allowed him to stay up late on Saturday.
• She read the story aloud.
3. Ate – Eight.
• She ate a quick lunch and returned to work.
• I bought eight tickets to the concert.
4. Ball – Bawl.
• He took a ball to the beach to play with the children.
• Please don’t bawl! It’s not that bad.
5. Bear – Bare.
 • He can’t bear exams.
• He stood outside in the rain completely bare.
6. Base – Bass.
• I think we need a new base for that lamp.
• I sang bass in the church choir.
7. Billed – Build.
• She billed the clients for $4,000,-.
• They build houses in Portland, Oregon.
8. Blew – Blue.
• She blew a lot of bubbles at her birthday party.
• Her houses in painted blue.
9. Board – Bared.
• I used a board to cover the window.
• He was bored by the meeting
10. Dear – Deer.
• My dear Richard, you just don’t understand!
• We saw three deer on our hike in the mountains.
 Homograp
h
1. Abuse
• (n) There is a time, when the hoary head of inveterate abuse will neither draw
reverence, nor obtain protection.
• (v) It is the characteristic of the English drunkard to abuse his wife and family.
2. Ally
• (n) He became the ally of a boy named Aubrey Mills and founded with him a
gang of adventurers in the avenue.
• (v) No foreign power will ally with us.
3. Axes
• (n) The x and y axes intersect at (0,0).
• (v) The lumberjack axes the trees to the ground.
4. Bow
• (n) The hordes of warriors making their way through the forest fought with bow
and arrow.
• (v) Satoshi always made sure to bow before the emperor.
5. Buffect
• (n) Steamed clams, prawns in mustard sauce and barbecued lamb with cilantro sat
at the left edge of the buffect table.
• (v) It takes a catastrophe every now and the to buffect the nation out of its laziness
and complacency.
6. Contract
• (n) The contract was supposed to expire seven years after it was signed.
• (v) Derek firmly stated that he would rather contract pneumonia and die than
stand outside wearing that ridiculous pink and green poncho.
7. Dove
• (n) The dove is a kind of bird.
• (v) He dove into the pool. (BrE uses “dived” instead).
8. Desert
• (n) The Gobi is large desert in Asia.
• (v) To desert the military is a crime.
9. Live
• (v) I don’t need you to determine wether I live or die
• (a) I went to see Alanis Morissette live in concert.
10. Lead
• (n) Water traveled through ancient Rome through lead pipes.
• (v) The mother duck can lead her ducklings around.