The bee's knees

Li: Oh, it's a really great day for a picnic, Finn. Thank you for inviting me.

Finn: Yes, Li. I thought we could enjoy this rare sunny day in London and I wanted you to try some of my new recipes.

Li: You're a real Heston Blumenthal! I never thought I would enjoy an olive and white chocolate salad!

Finn: And what about the beetroot甜菜 loaf麵包?

Li: Oh, yes. It was unusual but very tasty. I might want another piece!

Finn: Wonderful! But now it's time for my best creation: my special ice cream. Here it is, Li. This is the bee's knees!

Li: Bee's knees?!

Finn: Yes! Here is the bowl碗 and a spoon. Tuck in!

Li: How could you do that, Finn? Poor bees! Without their knees they might not be able to produce honey. And everyone likes honey, Finn!

Finn: Oh no, Li. No bees were harmed受傷 in the making of this dish. 'The bee's knees' is an expression we use in English to say that something or someone is exceptionally格外地 good. Let's have some examples:

• I used to play in a band when I was younger. We had a few fans and we thought we were the bee's knees. Yesterday I listened to one of our tapes and we sounded horrible!

• This is the best laptop I've ever bought. It is very light and has the best features. It is really the bee's knees!

Finn: You see... there are no knees and no bees in this ice cream, thank goodness - only a great taste. It's the bee's knees because it's so good. It is really good! And it's made of cinnamon肉桂!

Li: I'm afraid the bees in this park might want to give it a try too, Finn. It seems that now they know we don't want their precious寶貴的 knees, they are coming closer and closer to taste your delicious food. Shall we move elsewhere?

Finn: I think so. That's a very good idea, Li. Let's get out of here! Bye. Bye everyone!

Li: Bye!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/07/130702_tews_130_bees_knees.shtml

To put all your eggs in one basket

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Feifei and with me today is Rob. Rob, what are you doing?

Rob: (counting out money) Oh hi, I'm just counting up all my money... actually, Feifei, could I borrow £100, please?

Feifei: £100? That's a lot of money. What do you need it for?

Rob: Well, with all my savings plus your £100, I'll just have enough.

Feifei: For what?!

Rob: To invest in this new company my friend is setting up. He's invented this machine where you can talk to people anywhere in the world and there are no wires電線 or cables電纜. It's going to be a huge success.

Feifei: Rob, that sounds to me like a mobile phone - that's already been invented.

Rob: Yeah but you can also type messages on it and send them to other people. Absolutely amazing! If this is successful my investment is going to make me millions of pounds!

Feifei: Err, Rob calm down. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Rob: What? I'm not investing in eggs - this is real money. And what do you mean about one basket? I wasn't going to put the money in a basket!

Feifei: It's a saying! Don't put all your eggs in one basket - it's an expression that means you should never rely依賴/依靠 on just one plan because it could go wrong. Rob, don't use all of your savings on this one idea - it might fail.

Rob: Fail? Do you really think so? Are you really saying putting all my eggs - or my money - in one basket is too risky?

Feifei: Exactly. Here are some more examples of the idiom in action:

• I know you're confident about getting that job but I don't think you should put all your eggs in one basket. Why don't you apply for a few more, just in case?

• My dad says I should buy shares in a lot of different companies, and not put all my eggs in the one basket.

Feifei: So, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Have you got the message Rob?

Rob: Yes. I mustn't depend on one idea to make me rich. I'm not so sure about my friend's new idea anyway, but does that mean you won't lend me £100?

Feifei: No.

Rob: What about for my other cracking good idea - one that you really will need a basket for?

Feifei: What is it?

Rob: I have bought a chicken. It means I won't have to buy eggs at the supermarket anymore. It will save me lots of money. Oh look, she's just laid her first egg... here, Feifei, catch. Can you put that in the basket for me?

Feifei: Watch out, that nearly hit me.

Rob: Ha, then you would have had egg on your face!

Feifei: Excuse me?

Rob: Oh it's just another saying, I'll explain another time. Come on, let's go and boil this egg.

Feifei: How egg-citing! Join us again soon for more The English We Speak. Bye.

Rob: Look! She's laying another one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/06/130625_tews_129_eggs_in_one_basket.shtml

Don't make me laugh!

Jennifer: Hi I'm Jennifer and this is The English We Speak. In this programme, we teach you about English words or phrases which you might not find in the dictionary. Here comes Feifei.

Feifei: Hello Jen, hi everyone. Hey, Jen, I have some news for you.

Jennifer: Oh yes, what is it?

Feifei: I was standing next to the water cooler, when I heard the boss talking. He said that he is going to give everyone at work a holiday! For free!

Jennifer: A free holiday?

Feifei: Yes, I'm sure that's what he said.

Jennifer: Oh, don't make me laugh!

Feifei: It does sound too good to be true. Jen said: "Don't make me laugh." In English, this is something you can say when you think something is not going to happen.

Jennifer: And I don't think the boss is going to give us a holiday, especially a free one. The boss giving us special treats...? Don't make me laugh.

Feifei: Let's hear some more examples of this phrase.

• A: I heard that Justin Bieber is going to play a gig at our Christmas party!
• B: Don't make me laugh - he's far too famous to come here.

• A: Do you think that the Scotland football team could win the World Cup one day?
• B: Don't make me laugh - they've never won anything!

Feifei: So, 'don't make me laugh' is a great way to say that you think something won't happen.

Jennifer: Like our boss giving away free holidays. So I wonder what he did mean?

Feifei: Oooh, here's an email from him. It says: "I'm going away for two weeks. You will all need to work extra hard during this time, and don't call me - I want a work-free holiday."

Jennifer: You see? I told you he wouldn't give away free holidays. He wants a work-free holiday: that means he doesn't want to think about work while he's away.

Feifei: Oh well. It seems I didn't hear him properly. It was nice while it lasted!

Jennifer: So, are you planning to work 'extra hard' while he's away?

Feifei: Don't make me laugh! I'm not working hard, I'm going to take advantage and have a relaxing two weeks without the boss here!

Jennifer: That sounds like a good plan. Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. Bye for now!

Feifei: Bye!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/06/130618_tews_128_dont_make_me_laugh.shtml