English Vocabulary Booster

Episode 14
The podcasts that boosts your English vocabulary and makes you sounds like a native.

Making a decision Be up to (someone)

Put off a decision
Make up your mind
A tough call
Come to a decision

I was sitting in the room with the other judges. We had to make a decision and now it was
up to me. Everybody had already voted and the room was split in half. The truth is, I didn’t
want to be in that position. It’s too much responsibility. I wanted to put off the decision,
maybe come back in the afternoon after thinking about it a bit more, but I knew I couldn’t.
Everybody was looking at me, holding their breath. All those looks made it even more diffi-
cult for me to make up my mind. Why me? I didn’t want to be responsible for the future of
these people. I kept looking at the two men in front of me, both of them looking back at me
with pleading eyes, hoping I would be on their side. I finally announced: Listen, it’s a tough
call! But I think I’ve finally come to a decision. The carrot cake is the winner! Yep, one of the
toughest decisions of my life. That chocolate cake was also delicious. I’m telling you, being
a judge at a pie contest is incredibly stressful!

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To be up to someone - It was up to me.
• If a decision is up to someone, does that someone have control over what decision will be
made?
• Imagine a kid has done something really bad at school and might get expelled, who
decides what will happen to him? It is up to the classmates or is it up to the principal?

Put off a decision - I wanted to put off the decision.

• If you put off a decision, do you delay it or anticipate it?
• Do you normally put off making a decision?

Make up my mind - All those looks made it even more difficult for me to make up my mind.
• If you have made up your mind, are you still trying to make a decision?
• When you’re at a restaurant and you have to order your food, how long does it take you to
make up your mind?

A tough call - Listen, it’s a tough call.

• Is the expression ‘a tough call’ used to describe an easy or a difficult decision?
• If it’s a tough call, how many options are you normally considering?
• Can you give me two options to choose from that represent a tough call?

Come to a decision - I think I’ve finally come to a decision.

• If you’ve come to a decision, are you still considering your options?
• Is coming to a decision immediate or does it take some time?
• What is a good way to come to a decision?

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