Interesting Articles on the Internet
BASEBALL IDIOMS
Baseball is a beloved past time of many. There are even many idioms in English that have come from the sport! Look at the following idioms. Do you know what they mean in baseball? Can you guess what they mean as an idiom?
Part A.
First, read the expressions and explain what they mean in baseball!
1. To bat a thousand
2. To touch base
3. To cover all [his/her/my/your] bases
4. To be way off base
5. to come out of left field
6. ballpark figure/estimate
7. To be in the ballpark
8. On the ball
1. To bat a thousand a. to be entirely incorrect
2. To touch base b. to be performing perfectly
3. To cover all [his/her/my/your] bases c. an unexpected, strange, or wrong comment
4. To be way off base d. to be well-prepared
5. to come out of left field e. to be in contact with
Group B:
6. ballpark figure/estimate a. a guess
7. To be in the ballpark b. to make things difficult
8. On the ball c. to do something unexpected
11. To step up to the plate a. someone who does something for someone else
Part D.
It was presentation day at school. It was Josh’s turn at bat and he sure ____ (to score well). Every time the teacher posed a difficult question to Josh, he had a brilliant answer. He was really ___ (to be well-prepared). He was doing so perfectly he seemed to be ___ (to score perfectly). When the teacher ____ (to do something surprising) with an unexpected question, Josh still had an answer prepared! He really had ___ (to be prepared). I’m sure he ___ (to perform well).
It’s a shame Josh didn’t give his brother, James, any pointers. James had been doing poorly in class. Last class, the teacher had told James that with his two former screw ups, he had ___ (two warnings) and really needed to ___ (start taking responsibility, especially after being irresponsible). When the teacher had lectured James, Josh ____ (stood up for) his brother. It was hoped James would improve after these events, but it doesn’t look like it.
As James had begun his presentation, the teacher tried to ___ (to make it difficult) by asking a tough question ___ (immediately). James’s answer was ___ (quite incorrect, strange, or crazy), almost as if it had come ___ (from a strange, unusual or crazy place). He couldn’t even give a ___ (rough guess) for one of the easier questions. It’s a shame he couldn’t send Josh in as a ___ (someone who helps out another, especially in times of need). I had really hoped James would (to fight/try to achieve something instead of fail), but, sadly, it appears he simply ___ (failed). Given his previous warning, I’m afraid the teacher might tell him “____.” (to have three chances to succeed and yet still fail). What a shame!
Congratulations. You can do a victory lap, for now you know how to use some baseball idioms. Can you think of a way to use them in real life?
