out on a limb

 

out on a limb

= in a risky or vulnerable position, often by expressing an opinion or making a decision that is not widely supported

He's really out on a limb with his views on the new policy; not many people agree with him.

他對新政策的看法真是太特立獨行了；認同他的人並不多。

When Aunt Cindy brought up some political news at dinner, she definitely went out on a limb. It made for a tense evening.

當 Cindy 姨媽在晚餐時提起一些政治新聞時，她顯然是走出自己的舒適圈、很大膽地開了口。這讓整個晚上變得很緊張。

During the debate, Susan went out on a limb with her unconventional ideas about education reform, shocking both sides.

在辯論期間，Susan 對教育改革提出了不按牌理出牌的想法，讓雙方都大感震驚。

When Mark suggested that the team should adopt a pet project, he went out on a limb since most colleagues preferred to focus on their main tasks.

當 Mark 建議團隊應該採用一個對他自己個人感興趣的計劃時，他算是冒了很大的風險，因為大多數同事都更希望專注在他們的主要任務上。

Some synonyms and antonyms for "out on a limb":

Synonyms

Risky

In a vulnerable position 

On shaky ground 

Antonyms

Safe

Secure

On solid ground 

Conservative

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

What does the phrase "out on a limb" imply in a figurative sense?

A) Being in a safe and secure position.

B) Taking a risk or putting oneself in a vulnerable situation.

C) Being in a state of happiness and contentment.

D) Achieving a comfortable and stable situation.

step up

 step up

= to take action, increase effort, or assume responsibility, especially in a challenging situation

During the marathon, Mark stepped up his pace to win.

Mark stepped up to lead the new business venture.

Susan stepped up to organize a sports event at university. 

Susan stepped up her game in basketball practice.

To meet more people, Susan stepped up and joined clubs.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "step up":

Synonyms:

advance

increase

take charge

rise

Antonyms:

decline

withdraw

retreat

reduce

Question:

What does "step up" most likely mean?

A) Give up

B) Take responsibility

C) Move backward

D) Stop working

Reading comprehension

Mark, a successful businessman, decided to join a marathon to impress his girlfriend, Chloe. But Mark wasn’t a serious runner—he loved sports cars more than running shoes. Susan, a sporty university student, also signed up for the race.

At the start, Mark struggled to keep up. Seeing this, Susan shouted, “Mark, step up!” She then ran beside him, giving him funny tips like, “Imagine you’re chasing your sports car!”

During the marathon, Mark stepped up his pace to win. But just when he thought victory was near, his shoelace came undone, and he tripped over a squirrel named Speedy. Susan laughed and helped him get back on track. Thanks to Susan, Mark crossed the finish line first, with Chloe cheering wildly. Mark promised to buy Susan coffee every weekend as a thank-you!

 

01. What does "step up" mean in the story?

A) Slow down

B) Take action and increase effort

C) Sit down

D) Give up

02. How did Susan help Mark during the marathon?

A) By running faster and encouraging him

B) By tying his shoelace before the race

C) By driving him in a car

D) By distracting the squirrel

step down

 step down

= to resign or leave a position of power or responsibility, often voluntarily

HKU president Xiang Zhang will step down in 2028 after serving for ten years.

Mark decided to step down as CEO after 15 years in the IT industry.

After winning the championship, Mark chose to step down from professional running.

When she found it hard to balance, Susan stepped down from the university sports team. 

After a stressful semester, Susan stepped down from her club leadership role.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "step down":

Synonyms:

resign

quit

leave

retire

Antonyms:

stay

continue

lead

remain

What does "step down" mean?

A) Leave a position

B) Gain more power

C) Start a new role

D) Stay in charge

groundwork

 groundwork

= the basic work or foundation that is done to prepare for something more important or complex

Mark believes running every morning is the groundwork for his success.

Mark thinks coffee is the groundwork for a productive day.

Running daily is Susan’s groundwork for improving her stamina.

Susan believes groundwork in teamwork leads to winning games.

Making study plans is the groundwork for Susan’s exam success.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "groundwork":

Synonyms:

foundation

basis

preparation

premise

Antonyms:

conclusion

result

effect

outcome

Question:

What does "groundwork" mean?

A) Final result

B) Basic preparation

C) Random action

D) Unexpected outcome

fanboy

 fanboy

= a person, usually male, who is extremely enthusiastic and devoted to a particular product, brand, franchise, or interest, often to the point of being biased or overly defensive about it

Mark is a fanboy of sports cars, always following the latest models.

As a professional runner, Mark is a fanboy of high-tech running shoes.

Mark is a fanboy of classic literature, often seen reading at his office.

In the IT industry, Mark is known as a fanboy of cutting-edge technology.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "fanboy":

Synonyms:

enthusiast

devotee

supporter

follower

Antonyms:

critic

skeptic

opponent

disbeliever

What does the term "fanboy" usually mean?

A) Neutral observer

B) Biased enthusiastic fan

C) Person who dislikes

D) Casual passerby

conflate

 conflate

= to combine two or more ideas, texts, or pieces of information into one, often in a way that may cause confusion or blend distinct elements together

Mark accidentally conflated two IT projects and caused confusion in the team.

He conflated his weekend running plans with fishing trips in his schedule.

The two issues were mistakenly conflated during the public debate.

Don’t conflate correlation with causation—they are not the same.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "conflate":

Synonyms:

merge

combine

blend

unite

Antonyms:

separate

divide

disconnect

split

Question:

What does "conflate" mean?

A) Separate ideas clearly

B) Combine ideas as one

C) Ignore important details

D) Argue against a point