a wild goose chase

 

a wild goose chase

= a pursuit that is foolish and likely futile, often involving a search for something that is either elusive or nonexistent 

Looking for that book published 100 years ago turned out to be a wild goose chase.

尋找那本於一百年前出版的書籍，結果變成了一場徒勞無功的追逐。

Chasing after rumors of a hidden treasure in the old ruins became a wild goose chase, with nothing but disappointment.

白費力氣地找尋傳聞中有關舊遺跡的隱藏寶藏，只留下失望。

Searching for the missing files turned out to be a wild goose chase, as they had been deleted long ago.

尋找丟失的檔案結果徒勞無功，因為它們早已被刪除。

Hunting for that limited-edition sneaker turned into a wild goose chase, as they were sold out everywhere.

找尋那雙限量版運動鞋變成了一場勞而無功的事，因為它們到處都售罄了。

Some synonyms and antonyms for the phrase "a wild goose chase":

Synonyms:

Fool's errand 

Pointless pursuit

Fruitless quest 

Antonyms:

Purposeful search

Successful endeavor

Meaningful pursuit

Productive investigation

Worthwhile quest

003 a wild goose chase

https://youtube.com/shorts/GVP_lyhbgRc?si=rAjILPJ7D0yQberz

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What does the phrase "wild goose chase" mean in the context of the sentence: "Looking for that book published 100 years ago turned out to be a wild goose chase"?

#English

A) Treasure hunt

B) Fool's errand

C) Goose race

D) Fun-filled escapade 

bitty

 

bitty

= to describe something that is made up of many small, different parts or components

The police just found a few bitty pieces of evidence in the murder case.

He had a bitty collection of coins from different countries.

The recipe was easy to follow, with bitty steps laid out clearly.

Her notes were just bitty thoughts jotted down on scraps of paper.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "bitty":

Synonyms:

Small

Tiny

Fragmented

Little 

Antonyms:

Whole

Complete

Entire

Large

Significant

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What does "bitty" mean?

#English

A) Small and fragmented

B) Large and heavy

C) Quick and energetic

D) Bright and colorful

barmaid

 

barmaid

= a woman who serves drinks in a bar 

The barmaid stole money from the old man to pay for a luxury holiday.

The barmaid always greeted customers with a warm smile and a friendly chat.

When the regulars came in, the barmaid knew just what drinks to prepare without asking.

Mark often visited the pub where the barmaid remembered his favorite drink and made him feel at home.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "barmaid":

Synonyms:

Bartender (gender-neutral) 

Drink server

Pub staff

Bar staff

Antonyms:

Patron (a customer at the bar)

Customer 

Client

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What is a barmaid?

#English

A) A type of shoe

B) A female bartender

C) A dance style

D) A cooking tool

gobsmacked

 

gobsmacked

 

(adjective)

= to describe someone who is shocked to the point of being speechless

Examples

I was absolutely gobsmacked when I heard that he had won the Nobel Prize.

I was absolutely gobsmacked when my dad won the lottery.

When she revealed her secret during the live show, everyone was gobsmacked.

Reference

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gobsmacked

Some additional examples using "gobsmacked":

She was gobsmacked to discover that her childhood friend had become a famous actor.

The audience was gobsmacked by the magician's incredible tricks.

He was left gobsmacked after hearing the unexpected news about his promotion.

Some synonyms for "gobsmacked":

Astonished

Astounded 

Stunned

Speechless 

Baffled 

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What does "gobsmacked" mean?

#English

A) Very happy

B) Shocked or surprised

C) Tired and weary

D) Eager to assist

Proofreading

 Which sentence contains an error?

#English

A) She enjoys reading books.

B) Their going to the park.

C) The cat is sleeping soundly.

D) He finished his homework.

up your game

 

up your game

= to improve your performance, skills, or effort in a particular area

If you want to play in the first team, you need to up your game during practice.

如果你想代表一隊參加比賽，你就需要在練習中提升自己的表現。

To succeed in this competition, you'll need to up your game.

要在這次比賽中成功，你就需要提升自己的表現。

She realized she had to up her game to meet the new job expectations.

她意識到自己必須提升表現，以滿足新工作的期望。

Susan started taking extra classes to up her game in math.

Susan開始報讀額外的數學課程，來提升自己的數學水平。

Some synonyms and antonyms for "up your game":

Synonyms:

Improve

Enhance

Boost

Elevate

Step up

Antonyms:

Decrease

Diminish

Decline

Lessen 

002 up your game https://youtube.com/shorts/ZWwYGAy8WdE?si=fH0F43ZEdaVgYKmy via 

@YouTube

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

01. In the following sentence, what is the implied meaning of "up your game"?

"If you want to play on the first team, you need to up your game during practice."

A) To enhance your competitive edge and demonstrate greater commitment to improvement

B) To simply participate without putting in extra effort

C) To focus on teamwork rather than individual skill development

D) To maintain your current performance without any changes

02. What does "up your game" mean?

#English

A) Work harder to improve

B) Play a video game

C) Win a competition

D) Change your strategy

Quiz Of The Day

 "During the presentation, he started to break down when discussing his struggles."

What does the sentence suggest about his reaction?

#english

A) He stayed calm.

B) He felt very upset.

C) He explained confidently.

D) He changed the topic.

look for

look for

= to search for something or to seek a person

I am looking for my keys.

I am looking for my leather purse.

Mark is looking for someone who would like to share his knowledge in AI.

She is looking for a good restaurant nearby.

The teacher is looking for volunteers to help with the event.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "looking for":

Synonyms

Searching for

Seeking

Hunting for  

Trying to find

Requesting

Antonyms

Ignoring

Neglecting 

Avoiding

Disregarding 

Rejecting

Abandoning

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What does "look for" mean?

#English

A) To search for something

B) To see something clearly

C) To miss someone

D) To wait patiently

 

unsolicitous

unsolicitous

= to describes someone who is not anxious or concerned about something 

His unsolicitous attitude during the financial conference made it clear that he was not concerned about the R&D budget.

Susan's unsolicitous approach to her friend's problems made it clear she was preoccupied with her own issues.

His unsolicitous attitude during the meeting showed he didn't care about the team’s concerns.

Her unsolicitous attitude at the party made it clear she wasn't interested in socializing.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "unsolicitous":

Synonyms:

Indifferent

Unconcerned 

Disinterested 

Antonyms:

Concerned

Caring  

Interested

Sympathetic

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What does "unsolicitous" mean?

#English

A) Indifferent to others

B) Very attentive

C) Overly eager

D) Careful and cautious

 

Quiz Of The Day

 Question: Which sentence is correct?

#English

A) She enjoy museums.

B) He going to the store.

C) They have waited since.

D) I can play guitar well.

Quiz Of The Day

 Choose the correct tense: "By the time he arrived, she _____ her homework."

#English

A) has finished

B) had finished

C) finishes

D) will finish

untie

 

untie

= to release something that is tied 

Mark untied the ribbon of the gift box to see what was inside.

Susan carefully untied the shoelaces before taking off her shoes.

Susan took a moment to untie the scarf wrapped around her neck.

The dog was excited when I untied its leash.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "untie":

Synonyms:

Unfasten

Release

Loosen

Unbind

Antonyms:

Tie

Fasten

Bind

Secure

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What does "untie" mean?

#English

A) To tie again

B) To remove a tie

C) To loosen or free

D) To make stronger

Quiz Of The Day

 Which sentence is correct?

#english

A) She go to the store.

B) He plays soccer well.

C) They was happy today.

D) I seen that movie.

glut

glut

(noun)

= a situation where there is an oversupply of a product

(verb)

= to fill something to excess

Examples 

There was a glut of pigs on the market, causing the pork price to fall dramatically.

The market was glutted with oranges in the 19th century.

You can't go anywhere when the roads are glutted with cars.

Reference

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glut

Some additional examples using "glut":

The sudden glut of smartphones led to significant price reductions in the tech market.

The glut of information online can make it challenging to find reliable sources.

After the harvest, there was a glut of apples, prompting local farmers to offer discounts.

The glut of new restaurants in the area created stiff competition for existing businesses.

Some synonyms for "glut":

Surplus

Oversupply

Excess

Flood

Overabundance

Overflow

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What does the word "glut" mean?

#English

A) Excessive supply

B) Minimal quantity

C) Moderate amount

D) Difficult choice

 

Quiz Of The Day

 "She is bilingual, fluently speaking both English and Spanish."

What does "bilingual" mean?

#english

A) Speaking one language

B) Speaking two languages

C) Speaking three languages

D) Speaking no languages

a shadow of ones former self

a shadow of one's former self

= someone who has diminished in strength, vitality, or quality compared to their previous state

After going bankrupt, Peter seems like a shadow of his former self, lacking the smiles and enthusiasm he used to have in the past.

在破產之後，Peter似乎不如從前，缺少了他過去有的微笑和熱情。

After the accident, Maria was a shadow of her former self, struggling to regain her confidence and zest for life.

事故發生後，Maria不如從前，她努力找回自信和生活的熱情。

Following the difficult divorce, Emily feels like a shadow of her former self, missing the joy and positivity she used to radiate.

經歷艱難的離婚後，Emily感覺自己像不如從前，缺少了過去她有的快樂和積極。

Since losing his job, Tom feels like a shadow of his former self, lacking the drive and ambition he once had.

自從失去工作以來，Tom感覺自己不如從前，缺少了曾經他擁有的衝勁和抱負。

Some synonyms and antonyms for the phrase "a shadow of one's former self":

Synonyms:

A pale imitation

A diminished version

A shell of one’s former self 

Antonyms:

In full bloom

At the peak of one's powers

Strikingly vibrant

In top form

Full of life and vigor

YouTube - 001 a shadow of ones former self

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01. Based on the sentence "After going bankrupt, Peter seems like a shadow of his former self, lacking the smiles and enthusiasm he used to have," what does the idiom "a shadow of one's former self" imply about Peter?

#english

A) He has become more cheerful and energetic.

B) He has lost his former vitality and enthusiasm.

C) He has gained significant strength and success.

D) He remains unchanged despite his situation.

02. What does "a shadow of one's former self" mean?

#english

A) A bright future

B) An inferior version

C) An important person

D) A mysterious figure

Quiz Of The Day

 What does "to break the ice" mean?

#English

A) Start a conversation

B) Destroy something

C) Complete a task

D) Leave a situation

up for grabs

 

up for grabs

= something is available to be taken 

The computers and the furniture from the old office are up for grabs; employees can take it home if they want.

The last slice of pizza is up for grabs; who wants it?

Several items from the garage sale are still up for grabs.

After the event, all the leftover snacks will be up for grabs.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "up for grabs":

Synonyms:

Available

On offer

Accessible 

Antonyms:

Unavailable 

Reserved

Locked away

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What does "up for grabs" mean?

#English

A) Available to anyone

B) Difficult to obtain

C) Reserved for someone

D) Hidden from view

Quiz Of The Day

 What does "criteria" mean?

#English

A) A specific standard

B) A personal opinion

C) A group of people

D) A type of challenge

vista

vista

= a pleasing view

We stopped at the top of the mountain to enjoy the vista of the harbor.

Susan shared her travel photos with Mark, highlighting the picturesque vista of the coastline she had captured during her vacation in Japan.

Mark stood at the edge of the cliff, captivated by the breathtaking vista of the mountains below.

At her family gathering, Susan displayed a photograph of the picturesque vista she took during her travels in the Alps.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "vista":

Synonyms:

View

Sight 

Landscape

Scenery 

Antonyms:

Obstruction 

Blindness  

Narrow view 

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

A "vista" is best described as:

#English

A) A narrow path

B) A broad view

C) A historical event

D) A musical term

 

Quiz Of The Day

 Which of the following phrases best describes something that is "ubiquitous"?

#English

A) Rare and unusual

B) Found everywhere

C) Difficult to understand

D) Bound to a specific area

wacky

wacky

= strange and unusual in a silly or amusing way. 

His wacky sense of humor made the entire audience laugh during the stand-up comedy performance.

Mark's wacky ideas for their weekend plans always kept Susan entertained.

During the party, Susan impressed everyone with her wacky dance moves, which made Mark laugh uncontrollably.

Mark's wacky hat collection made Susan chuckle every time they went out.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "wacky":

Synonyms 

Quirky

Goofy 

Bizarre

Antonyms 

Sensible

Normal 

Straightforward

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Which of the following best exemplifies "wacky" behavior?

#English

A) A magician pulling rabbits

B) A scientist in a lab coat

C) A bear riding a unicycle

D) A child reading quietly

 

blistering

 

blistering 

(adjective)

= extremely hot or intense

Examples

The blistering weather drives me crazy.

We didn’t want to go out in the blistering sun.

He gave a blistering performance in the match that surprised the audience.

Reference

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blistering

Some additional examples using "blistering":

The blistering heat of the desert made it difficult to stay outside for long.

After the blistering criticism from his coach, he worked harder than ever.

The blistering pace of the marathon left many runners struggling to keep up.

The blistering winds of the storm knocked out power across the city.

Some synonyms for "blistering":

Scorching 

Sweltering

Fiery 

Burning 

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

 

Q1. What does "blistering" most likely describe?

#English

A) A gentle breeze

B) Intense heat

C) A calm sea

D) A soft whisper

Q2. In which context is "blistering" most appropriately used?

#English

A) A soothing pond

B) A rapid fire

C) A fun gathering

D) A cool autumn breeze