Review the business conversation with idioms. Then understand their meanings and answer questions with them.
Project Strategy and Acquisition Talk
Setting: A mid-day meeting between Alex (VP of Strategy) and Ben (Head of R&D).
Alex: Thanks for meeting, Ben. I want to shift our focus to the big picture for Q4. Project Firefly is moving fast, but I’m worried about the acquisition target, NovaTech.
Ben: NovaTech is a necessity. They’re currently struggling to make ends meet, but their core intellectual property is solid. If our competitor gets their hands on it, they’ll definitely give us a run for our money.
Alex: I agree, but our legal team is ready to dig in their heels on the valuation. They think we’re overpaying for a distressed asset.
Ben: The tech alone is worth it. What they developed for quantum networking is truly cutting edge. Plus, getting their team means we accelerate Firefly. The integration of their old code, honestly, will be child’s play for your engineers, especially compared to the complexity of the security protocols we just finished.
Alex: That’s encouraging. But speaking of old systems, we also have the massive server migration. It feels like the old mainframe is finally going to kick the bucket any day now. Do you have capacity for that?
Ben: I won’t lie, Alex, I have a lot on my plate right now. Firefly, the acquisition due diligence, and now the migration… It’s all hands on deck.
Alex: I understand. We’ll reallocate some resources from marketing. Just stay focused on the key objectives.
Ben: Will do. But despite the pressure, I genuinely get a kick out of it when we launch a groundbreaking product like Firefly. It makes the long hours worthwhile.
| Idiom | Definition | Sense | Example |
| child’s play | easy | positive | I’m not worried about the exam. It’ll be child’s play. |
| the big picture | the larger perspective or purpose | neutral | You work hard on your projects, but you don’t see the big picture. If you had a better sense of purpose, your work would be more productive. |
| give ___ a run for ___ money | compete | positive | Don’t worry about the new business across the street. We’ll give them a run for their money! |
| dig in ____ heels | to continue working in the same way, but work harder; from the idea of spurring a horse to run faster | neutral | Since the new restaurant opened across the street, our own restaurant has been struggling. We have to dig in our heels and show them that we can beat their deals! |
| get a kick out of it | to get enjoyment, to get a laugh | positive | Ben Stiller is one of my favorite actors. I always get a kick out of his comedies. |
| have a lot on ________ plate | to have a lot of responsibilities | neutral to negative | I know your brother has not returned your phone calls, but don’t be frustrated. He has a lot on his plate right now, and he might have honestly forgotten. |
| kick the bucket | to die | neutral–negative, yet humorous | My fourteen year old cat finally kicked the bucket, poor thing. |
| let someone go | to fire someone | negative | Did you hear about Mike? The boss decided to let him go last week. |
| make ends meet | to manage on a limited budget; similar idiom: to make do | neutral–practical | My son just got married. He and his wife are doing okay, but every month, they have to make ends meet. |
| cutting edge | the latest, the newest | positive | Since you have a competitive job, you should buy a new phone with cutting edge technology. |
Questions
1. What is something you can do that is like child’s play to you?
2. When you work on a project, do you have to remind yourself to see the big picture (because you focus on details instead)?
3. When was the last time you gave someone a run for his/her money?
4. If you experience a business/school-related failure, do you give up or do you dig in your heels?
5. Do you get a kick out of comedic YouTube videos?
6. Do you have a lot on your plate right now?
7. If you could choose when you’ll kick the bucket, when would it happen?
8. Have you ever been let go from a place of employment?
9. Do you have to make ends meet right now or are your finances secure?
10. Do you like cutting edge technology or are you content with anything that works for you?
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