Neil: Hello, I'm Neil… but where is Feifei?
Feifei:… sorry I'm late! Is it time for
The English We Speak?
Neil: It is Feifei – but catch your breath
and have a seat. Are you ok? You look a
bit of a… mess!
Feifei: Me? A mess! You would be a mess
if you had been where I have been.
Neil: OK calm down… and what's that
smell?
Feifei: So you think I smell now! I've been
to the rubbish dump!
Neil: The rubbish dump?! Why did you go
there?
Feifei: Because I was looking for Rob
earlier and
someone said he was down in the dumps.
Neil: Feifei, that is the last place you will
find someone who is down in the dumps.
It's just a saying that describes someone
who is unhappy, fed up and sometimes
feels there is no hope.
Feifei: Oh I get it! Being depressed or
unhappy is a miserable feeling – a bit like
being at a rubbish dump, actually.
Neil: Exactly. Let's hear some examples…
Examples:
Don't be so down in the dumps, you're
going on holiday tomorrow!
Oh it's Monday again, no wonder I feel so
down in the dumps.
Reshma has been so down in the dumps
since her boyfriend left her.
Feifei: So that's being 'down in the dumps'
- feeling unhappy and miserable. So I've
had a wasted trip – but I wonder why Rob
is 'down in the dumps'?
Neil: It could be because his football team
lost... again.
Feifei: No, he’s used to that happening. It
must be something more serious than
that.
Neil: I know – he's feeling sad because
he's not presenting this wonderful
programme with you – it's such a great
script isn't it!
Feifei: There's only one place for this
script Neil – in the dump!
Neil: Ha ha, very funny!
Both: Bye.