500 frases en inglés realmente útiles (La serie completa) by Jenny Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

doesn’t seem like it now, eventually everything will be fine.
    Example: Even though I lost my job, everything worked out for the best because I got a much better job in the end.

    To be at the end of one’s tether: to have no more patience or energy left for a certain situation. To be emotionally exhausted.
    Example: The baby had not stopped crying for 2 days. The mother was completely at the end of her tether.

    To cut a long story short: this is used when you just want to ‘sum up’ a story quickly. To cut out the details and describe basically what happened.
    Example: It was a really long game, but to cut a long story short; we lost!

    It just goes to show: this means ‘this is proof that (something is the case)’.
    Example: The fact that he was unsuccessful for so many years but is now very rich, goes to show that if you are persistent enough success will come in the end.

    Honesty is the best policy: it’s best to be honest.
    Example: People who lie always have stress in their lives so I always think that honesty is the best policy.

A Tale of Three Careers

Part One

    I was in the shop the other day when a magazine article caught my eye . The story centred around a middle aged man who had had a very eventful life. He was born into a very poor family where they could barely make ends meet . When he was very young he would go out doing odd-jobs for people in the local neighbourhood or sell lemonade to his classmates. Basically, he would do everything in his power to help his family get by . Due to his strong will, he eventually got a full scholarship to a top university where he studied business. After university he didn’t get a great job but he was working for a large famous firm so at least it was a foot in the door . After his bosses realised what a hard worker he was, they quickly promoted him. His rise was so quick that he was soon regarded as a rising star . Everybody thought that he would be running the company in a few years. But even though he had lots of money and a successful career something was wrong.

    Phrases:
    To catch one’s eye: this phrase is almost always used as ‘(it) caught my eye’. It basically means the same as ‘caught my attention’ but is used with visual things. If you are window shopping and you see a coat that gets your interest you would say that it ‘caught your eye’.
    Example: He was such a good footballer as a child that he quickly caught the eye of a few of the major clubs and he was soon signed to one of their junior sides.

    Centred around (something): this means that the article or film is about (something). It can also mean that this (something) is the main thing in the story or incident.
    Example 1: The film centres around a young boy with special powers.
    Example 2: The court case centred around whether the defendant had a good alibi or not.

    To make ends meet: this means to make enough money to survive and pay the bills etc. It usually has the feeling of ‘only just’ surviving.
    Example: Even though I have two jobs I can only just manage to make ends meet.

    To do everything in one’s power: to do everything you can possibly do in order to achieve a certain outcome.
    Example: The police did everything in their power to catch and convict the killer.

    To get by: this is very similar to ‘make ends meet’. It is however slightly more positive and can mean slightly above ‘just surviving’.
    Example: I don’t have a lot of money, but I do get by without too much trouble.

    To get a foot in the door: this means to get a first opportunity to do something (work in a specific field/company etc). It is usually used when you start low (at a company etc), but there is opportunity to move higher.
    Example: Even though it’s a boring job I just see it as a foot in the door to an industry that I want to work in.

    A rising star: this is someone who is fast becoming popular or famous in a certain field or company.
    Example: Even though he is young and quite