Story One

The Lunch Date

Sami had a lunch date with Lana yesterday. He got there on time (one o’clock
sharp)but she didn’tturn up. After waiting patiently for half an hour or so , Sami went
into a nearby bookshop tolook round. While he was looking , he came acrossa
French/English dictionary on sale at half price. As he was studying French , he
decided to buy the dictionary in order tolook upall the new words in his lessons.
Although it was a special offer , buying it left him almost broke. As he was leaving
the bookshop , hebumped intoLana , who was hurrying along the pavement.

” OH. Sami ! . There you are ! Sorry I’m late, I’ve been shopping for make-up. Can
we have lunch now ? I’m starving !”.

No, we can’t unless you can pay for it. I’ve just spent all my money on this book
because I didn’t think you were coming. “

” Oh. Sami ! You know I always turn up in the end ! Come on. We can make do with
a sandwich. I’ve got enough money for that. “

Phrasal Verbs
(1) Turn Up … Arrive/
(2) Look round … Have a look
(3) Come across … See by chance
(4) Look Up … Find
(5) Bump Into … Meet accidentally
(6)Make Up … Cosmetics ( several meanings elsewhere )
(7)Make do With… Manage
Story Two

The First Lesson

Ali’s an evening student at a language center in his home town. He’s been studying
English there ever since it opened two years ago. His reason for wanting to brush up
his English is that he would like to find work abroad.

” It’s high time I got out of this place!” Ali often thinks to himself. ” It’s so boring I
just can’t put up with t much longer. “

Ali enjoys studying at the center an gets on very well with the teachers there.
However, he can still remember his first lesson there when he felt very frustrated
because he could hardly make out a word of what the teacher said to the class. He can
also remember the teacher’s kind reassuring smile as she said to the anxious class.

” Don’t worry if you can’t understand everything I say today. You’ll soon get used to
my accent and to the way we do things here.’

and of course they did.

Phrasal Verbs

– Brush up …………Perfect/Improve
– Get out of………… Leave
– Put Up With…….. Stand/Tolerate
– Get On(well)With. Be on friendly terms ( Get Along )
–Make out………….. Understand/Comprehend
Story Three

The Visit

Antonio, an American of Italian origin, takes after his father, who is an extremely
lazy man. Both of them frequently put off until the last minute any work that they
have to do.

Once, when he was on a trip to London. Antonio was lucky enough enough to get in
touch with some second cousins of his family. These cousins kindly offered to put
him up at their house during his stay in England and in this way he was able to get
out of paying any hotel bills.

For Antonio, London turned out to be an exciting place and certainly made the most
of his stay there.
He quickly took to staying out late at night, drinking and so on. After several months
his cousins got a bit fed up with him. ” It’s a good job that some of us work for our
living!.” One of them said eventually.

” What are you getting at ?” asked Antonio.

” I mean it’s high time you found a job and somewhere to live if you intend to stay
here any longer. We can’t put you up forever.”

Antonio returned home soon after that.

Phrasal Verbs

Take After …………… Resemble/Look like

Put Off ……………….. Postpone/Delay
Put (someone) UP…. Accommodate/Keep
Take To………….ing Accustom / Get used to
Get At………………… Insinuate/Imply/Mean
Turn Out To be……. Become
Get Out Of …………. Avoid/Skip
Story Four

Double Trouble

Mrs Salem got married very young and now that her daughter, Hala, is grown up,
they look so alike that they are often taken for sisters. Sometimes, just for fun, they
pretend to be sisters and most people, who don’t know them , are completely taken in
.

Once, however, at a wedding party, the joke went too far and a young man actually
proposed marriage to Mrs Salem on the spot. She had to turn him down, of course,
being married to Mr Salem, (who wasn’t at the party). The young man then turned his
attention to Hala, who eventually accepted his proposal.

The wedding plans were all made, but the young man let Hala down badly by
changing his mind just before the big day. A tearful Hala put this down to the fact that
he still preferred her mother.

” Never mind, Hala. Don’t let it get you down. There are plenty more fish in the sea.”
Said Mrs Salem sympathetically.

Phrasal verbs
Grown Up………….. Adult
Take for …………… Consider
Taken In…………… Cheated/Deceived
Turn Down……….. Decline/Refuse/Reject
Let Down………… Deceive/Disappoint
Put Down To……… Justify
Get Down …………. Depress
Story five

Doctor’s Orders

“ You’ve just got to give up smoking.” The doctor told Adam after examining his
latest X rays.
“ I’ll try. But it’s easier said than done.” Adam replied.
“ Don’t try. Do it. Start tomorrow. You’ll thank me for it in the long run. Goodbye.
The next day Adam got off to a good start. He managed to avoid having a cigarette
with his morning coffee and first few hours at work passed quickly. He felt that it
might not be so difficult after all. As the day went on , however, people seemed to be
doing their best to put him out . The least noise distracted him and he was unable to
concentrate on anything He was dying for a cigarette but he felt sure that he would
never get away with it – in other words that the doctor would find out somehow. He
shouted at his secretary and then had to make up for it by offering her flowers.
“ They say the first day’s the worst! I only hope they’re right.” Sighed the secretary. “
I can’t put up with him going on like his much longer, flowers or no!.

Phrasal Verbs
Give up……………. Stop
Go on………………Proceed
Put (someone)out…. Distract
Get away with it……Escape with being found out or punished
Find out……………Know/discover
Make up for(it)……Compensate
Put up with………..Tolerate