woman’s
man’s
child’s
designer’s

movie is long
car is expensive
room is cold
line is long

traffic
weather
closet
homework

me
us
this project
your trip

accent
shirt
voice
work

WiFi
satellite dish
internet
new dishwasher

action
cliches
humor
sarcasm

the government
my boss
your dad
that website

just left
kissed me
started crying
started laughing

people text and drive
pregnant women smoke
you don’t listen
you waste electricity

studying languages
watching old TV shows
reading philosophy books
writing poetry

I see people waste food
my neighbors have loud parties
businesses pollute
I can’t remember someone’s name

Greg: It’s called the Shadow Caster and—

Mark: Yeah.

Greg: It lets off a nice shadow, just below it. And that’s the point, entirely. But it goes unnoticed.

Mark: I wish I’d taken a picture of it. Just off-screen (outside of the video) is the, I guess you’d call it the placard which describes the, you know, tells you the painting title, the artist, and an in-depth analysis, which was just chock full of B.S. (slang – an abbreviation of the impolite expression “bull shit” – only use around friends) …you know, art B.S….an analysis of why this painting is stunning and a significant work.

Greg: Why it’s “stunning?!”

Mark: I am not kidding! “In its bold interpretation of post-neoclassical blah-blah-blah.” You know what I mean? I am not kidding. It was the—this essay on why this was a genius work (work of art). And so, that just, that drives me mad. I mean, I like modern art, but this is just ridiculous. And then how much they paid for it! I think it sold for $800,000 or something. That’s what they bought it for.

Greg: Uggh! God! (“wow” with a negative feeling)

Mark: So we got a…That was my favorite painting in the museum. So we got a kick out of that one.

Greg: And the artist, I can promise you, the artist went into Home Depot (name of a store that sells paint and supplies), said, “Do you have any black paint?” And they went, “Yeah.” And he says, “Here’s one. This is called Stunning Black.” He’s like, “Stunning! Yes! Stunning black, that’s what I’ll do.” Anyway….

Mark: Sorry, that’s—that kills me. Yeah, he has five other very similar works. You know, “White on white,” “Yellow on yellow,” and…But this was his masterpiece.

chock full of = completely full of

Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, "chock full of" is the advanced phrase we want to learn.

Our bread is completely full of whole wheat and grains.
Our bread is chock full of whole wheat and grains.

The book is completely full of humor.
The book is chock full of humor.

This juice is completely full of vitamins.
This juice is chock full of vitamins.

The description of the painting was completely full of ridiculous statements.
The description of the painting was chock full of ridiculous statements.

(slang) B.S. = a statement (or statements) that is probably not true
NOTE: This is an abbreviation of  the rude expression "bullshit". Be careful to use this only around friends!

Remember, the 2nd version (using "B.S.") is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

Everything he said about me was statements that are not true!
Everything he said about me was B.S.!

Everything the government says is statements that are not true!
Everything the government says is B.S.!

This article as all statements that are not true.
This article as all B.S.

The placard was full of art statements that are probably not true.
The placard was full of art B.S.

blah-blah-blah = etc, etc. (The speaker assumes that the listener knows the parts he is skipping.)

We were in a restaurant in Hollywood, etc., etc. and we got Tom Cruise’s autograph.
We were in a restaurant in Hollywood, blah-blah-blah and we got Tom Cruise’s autograph.

We were talking, etc., etc., and then she kissed me!
We were talking, blah-blah-blah, and then she kissed me!

The news is always the same: Sports, weather, etc., etc.
The news is always the same: Sports, weather,  blah-blah-blah.

They described the painting as being, "…a bold interpretation of post-neoclassical etc, etc."
They described the painting as being, "…a bold interpretation of post-neoclassical blah-blah-blah."

drives me (or you) mad = really annoys me (or you)

I get so much SPAM it really annoys me.
I get so much SPAM it drives me mad.

It really annoys me when you don’t listen.
It drives me madwhen you don’t listen.

Doesn’t the corruption really annoy you?
Doesn’t the corruption drive you mad?

That kind of writing really annoys me.
That kind of writing drives me mad.

to get a kick out of something = to be amused by something, to really enjoy
[NOTE: This usually applies to things we don’t think someone would normally enjoy.]

My wife really enjoys studying ancient languages.
My wife gets a kick out of studying ancient languages.

I really enjoy watching old TV shows.
I get a kick out of watching old TV shows.

I was amused by some of your photos.
I got a kick out of some of your photos.

I was amused by that painting.
I got a kick out of that painting.

(it) that kills me = that bothers me

It bothers me when I’m trying to concentrate and my neighbor’s dogs are barking.
It kills me when I’m trying to concentrate and my neighbor’s dogs are barking.

It bothers me when I can’t remember someone’s name.
It kills me when I can’t remember someone’s name.

It bothers me when children are rude to adults.
It kills me when children are rude to adults.

That kind of writing just bothers me.
That kind of writing just kills me.

remember
brought
asked for
told them

rebuild
wait
leave
fight

game system
juicer
tablet
home security

need some help
be worried
want lunch
have questions

talk
see anyone
stop
eat

twenty minutes
a week
two hours
five years

Mark: Here we are at the Brooklyn Bridge, which is more or less the southern tip of Manhattan. (It) leads you into the next borough. New York has 5 boroughs, and Brooklyn is one of them. “Borough” is just a fancy word for neighborhood, I guess, but a big-ass (very big) note: strong slang – only use among close friends) neighborhood. And—

Greg: Would you call it a suburb, you think?

Mark: I guess “suburb” gives the feeling of—

Greg: …houses, maybe.

Mark: Yes, houses, exactly. And so this is definitely just more of the city but it’s…I guess it has its own geographic kind of isolation. Because of the river, in this case. And so each is pretty (very) clearly defined. You can look on a map and say, “Its logical the way they broke this up.”

Greg: Right.

Mark: And so… I’ve walked — I’m sorry—I’ve walked the Brooklyn Bridge many times, but in this case, we only walked about halfway. Because then you can get a great picture of, you know, the southern tip of Manhattan from the bridge. But we didn’t walk the whole thing.

Greg: Well, when we went by, I did see it. We were on a double decker (two level) tour bus kind of thing. Because we don’t—we didn’t know the city, so we just figured we’ll let someone show us the city on the tour bus. And, you know, it was cool. But we didn’t get out and enjoy the bridge, as you two seem to have done.

Mark: Yeah, I’ve walked it enough times (many times, enough, no more is needed) But let’s go to the next picture. Brighton Beach, here, is in Brooklyn, although we did not walk to it. To get to Brighton Beach is pretty far, so we took the subway the rest of the way. And if you can…You know, if you look closely at the sign, you’re going to see a lot of Russian. So this is the Russian—this is actually the—I believe it’s the largest collection, or neighborhood, of Russians and Russian expatriates outside, of course, of Russia. There must be about a hundred thousand or so living in Brighton Beach.

Greg: Really?

more or less = approximately

Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, “more or less” is the advanced phrase we want to learn.

These two words have approximately the same meaning.
These two words have more or less the same meaning.

That’s everything I asked for, approximately.
That’s everything I asked for, more or less.

We got home at noon, approximately.
We got home at noon, more or less.

We are at the Brooklyn Bridge, which is approximately the southern tip of Manhattan.
We are at the Brooklyn Bridge, which is more or less the southern tip of Manhattan.

in this case = in this situation

Remember, the 2nd version (using “in this case”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

In this situation we decided to wait.
In this case we decided to wait.

Calling them, in this situation, was the best decision.
Calling them, in this case, was the best decision.

In this situation I was wrong.
In this case I was wrong.

The river, in this situation, is what makes it a borough.
The river, in this case, is what makes it a borough.

kind of thing =  or something very much like that

I bought a home security system or something very much like that.
I bought a home security system kind of thing.

They have a salad bar, or something very much like that, at the restaurant.
They have a salad bar kind of thing at the restaurant.

This is a “home gym” or something very much like that.
This is a “home gym” kind of thing.

We were on a double-decker tour bus or something very much like that.
We were on a double-decker tour bus kind of thing.

to figure = to think

I thought you might be hungry, so I made lunch.
I figured you might be hungry, so I made lunch.

I thought you might be tired.
I figured you might be tired.

I thought this was yours.
I figured this was yours.

We didn’t know the city, so we thought it was better to take a guided tour.
We didn’t know the city, so we figured it was better to take a guided tour.

the rest of the way = the remaining distance

We went the remaining distance on foot.
We went the rest of the way on foot.

We didn’t stop the remaining distance.
We didn’t stop the rest of the way.

It’s all downhill  the remaining distance.
It’s all downhill  the rest of the way.

Brighton Beach is very far, so we took the subway the remaining distance.
Brighton Beach is very far, so we took the subway the rest of the way.

We waited for thirty minutes, approximately.
We waited for thirty minutes or so.

We were there for a week, approximately.
We were there for a week or so.

We slept for an hour, approximately.
We slept for an hour or so.

There must be 100,000 Russians, approximately, living in Brighton Beach.
There must be 100,000 or so Russians living in Brighton Beach.