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Quiz 1: Vocabulary Focus
  1. In sports, you need to the rules.
  2. I was recently a new assigment at work.
  3. He had to the bill for dinner.
  4. I still around the area I grew up even though I moved years ago.
  5. She will to work soon.
Quiz 2: Comprehension Q's
Answer the questions below. Some questions have more than one answer. Scroll down to view the answer button.
Quiz 3: Questions for You!

Illustration by Kazue Takahashi

Situation 27 : Leaving
Mari ends her stay in Australia and says goodbye to her landlady and offers to help her in the future.

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  • Audio Notes

head off

You are heading off in a couple of months.

When you head off to someplace, that just means you go there. If for instance you are returning home, then you are heading home, or heading back home. If you are going to school, then you are heading to school or heading off to school. We use this term because your 'head' is facing the area it is going. Here are a few more examples:

  1. Where are you heading off to?
  2. I am just heading over to my friends house.

put on

I've been put on a new project.

Here the phrasal verb 'put on' means 'assigned to', so in this instance, the speaker has been assigned to a new project. We use the phrase 'put on' because one's name was likely written to a list for the activity in question. Notice the following:

  1. I have been put on a waiting list for my flight.
  2. My work just put me on the safety committee.

foot the deposit (bill)

I will be footing the whole deposit.

When you foot the deposit, that means you pay the deposit without any help, even though perhaps others should pay for it. Another common expression is 'foot the bill'. Here are some examples:

  1. I had to foot all my expenses in college because my parents were poor.
  2. When everyone left without paying, he had to foot the bill.

abide by

We must abide by the terms of the contract.

To abide by something basically means to follow the rules, agreement, or instructions as written down on paper and agreed upon by all participants. So, if you sign a contract for anything, you need to abide by the terms written in the contract. Notice the following:

  1. Players in sports need to abide by the rules.
  2. If you sign a contract, you need to abide by the terms of agreement.

know my way around

I know my way around New York.

When you know your way around a place, that means you are very familiar with it and you do not need any assistance or help getting around. You know all the streets, stores, places, etc. Notice the following:

  1. I just moved here so I don't know my around the city at all.
  2. Once you know your way around the area, things will be easier.