Idiom Project: time's a wastin'

Hi First and Second Year Students,
Wondering what to do as your do-it-yourself English study in the next few days? We're starting an Idiom Project, collecting the most common English idioms. From your reading, TV/film watching, internet, vocabulary notebook, wherever, make a list of idioms and their corresponding Italian equivalent (if they have one) or a translation/explanation in Italian.
Send your list to my email (martinpedersen1255@gmail.com), and then we'll make a general list and post it on this site.
Idioms are used a lot in speech by native speakers and sometimes in writing. You should learn them, even if you won't use them until you feel comfortable. When you start looking you'll see them everywhere. And they're fun.
Can't wait to read your lists.
Mr. Pedersen

When you feel down remember ...

Idioms for idiots (not you, the others)

You said it (favorite English expressions)

Yep
Definitely
Cool
When pigs fly
Break a leg
Every cloud has a silver lining
What the hell
Love conquers all
I'll keep my fingers crossed
Never give up
Are you kidding me?
Oh, my God!
Damn
Believe in yourself
Keep Calm and Carry On
What do you mean?
Fantastic
Okay
What a pity
Piece of cake
What else?
Don't worry, be happy
Follow your dreams (and they will come true)
Live while you're young
You're kidding
Sleep like a log
I don't mind
I don't care
May the odds be ever in your favor
What?
Are you serious?
Hey man, what's up?
You know
You only live once
It sounds good.

"300: Rise of an Empire," film review by Gianluca Cirino

I want to talk about "300: Rise of an Empire" a 2014 American epic and drammatic war film, directed by Noam Murro. It's the sequel of 300. It's based on Artemisium and Salamis battles. At the beginning of the movie, Gorgo of Sparta tells her men about the battle of Marathon, in which Darius, the king of Persia, was killed by Themistocles an Athenian general. Darius' son, Xerxes, swore, influenced by Artemisia, his naval commander, swore to destroy Greece and the Greeks. He went through the desert where he found a cave and plunged into an otherworld liquid emerging as a God-king. So, he declared war on the Greeks and sent his forces towards Thermopylae against Leonida, king of Sparta. Themistocles tried to put together the Greek forces to defeat the Persian army, but Gorgo didn't want to send her forces. So, the battle of Artemisium started; Themistocles' army defeated many Persian men and destroyed  their ships. Impressed with Themistocles' skills, Artemisia brought him onto her ship where she had sex with him, to convince the general to join her, but he refused. A fire war started in the sea and both Greek and Persian ships were destroyed. At the same time, in the Thermopylae, Leonidas and his 300 men were killed by Xerxes, who wanted to burn Athens. So Artemisia sent her entire navy to fight the battle of Salamis. Themistocles and Artemisia started fighting, during the battle Gorgo arrived with ships from many Greek cities against the Persians. Themistocles killed Artemisia and the whole Greek army destroyed the Persian one. This is a great educational movie. In my opinion watching this film you can learn in a modern way the ancient Greek story. There are many of this kind of movies, watching them could be a good way to spend your free time smartly and you have the impression to fight with the warriors. This is a really attractive and impressive film.

John McWhorter: 4 reasons to learn a new language

See ted.com for the transcript, if you need it.

Review of the film "Rush" by Aurora Bonfiglio

Rush is an amazingly impressive and accurate film about the story of the F1 racers Niki Lauda and James Hunt. The story starts long before the tragic accident occurred to Lauda. Indeed, the focus is not on that, but on the competitiveness and the rare esteem between the two racers.

Firstly, this film is not only for F1 aficionados; everyone can find it interesting and engaging. In fact, there is a masterly combination of sports and introspection of the characters. The spectators can understand the feeling, halfway between bravery and recklessness, which pushes them to race.

Then, the whole film is incredibly accurate. The races scenes, especially the ones in bad weather conditions, are perfectly realistic. Of course, the actors were cast with the same accuracy. Indeed, they look a lot like the real protagonists of the events. Plus, some dialogues are in the native language of the racers and also their accents and parlances were precisely reproduced. Obviously, the recreation of Niki Lauda's accident and injuries is flawless too. 

Probably, the only relevant flaw is that the director excessively stressed the rivalry between the pilots. Indeed, he only let emerge the real amity between the two, at the end of the film. They were rivals, but they also respected each other. They were more similar than it seems; they supported and pushed each other, while competing.  

The most important message of this film is that two people can be rivals, but still respect each other. And, unfortunately, that is quite uncommon in sports. Nevertheless, there is still another important teaching: rivalry can lead people to do reckless things, but it also gives them a purpose.

Pronunciation frustration

I like the music.

Transcribe a Song

The exercise was to transcribe the lyrics of your favorite song without looking on the internet for the "correct" version or the CD booklet (do they still exist?). Here are the first few attempts: very good, I'd say. It's not an easy task. Listen over and over and write down the words without any help. Fun though. Try it and send me your songs.

"Summertime", written by Geoge Gershwin, transcribed by Alessia Vita

Summertime... And the livin' is easy.

Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high.

Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma' is good lookin':

so hush, little baby, don't you cry.

One of these mornings you're going to rise up singing,

then you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky.

But 'till that morning there's nothing can harm you, 

with daddy and mommy standin' by..

Come Undone by Duran Duran, transcribed by Aurora Bonfiglio

Mine, immaculate dream made breath and skin...

I've been waiting for you,

Signed with a home-tattoo.

"Happy birthday to you" was created for you.

Can't ever keep from falling apart, at the seams.

Cannot believe you're taking my heart to pieces.

Oh, it might take a little time,

Might take a little crime

To come undone.

Now, we'll try to stay blind

To the hope and fear outside.

Hey, child, stay wilder than the wind

And blow me into cry.

Who do you need,

Who do you love,

When you come undone?

Who do you need,

Who do you love,

When you come undone?

Words play me déjà-vu,

Like a radio tune

I swear I've heard before.

Chill, is it something real,

Or the magic I'm feeling off your fingers?

Can't ever keep from falling apart, at the seams.

Cannot believe you're taking my heart to pieces.

Lost in a snow-filled sky,

Will make it alright

To come undone.

Now, we'll try to stay blind

To the hope and fear outside.

Hey, child, stay wilder than the wind

And blow me into cry.

Who do you need,

Who do you love,

When you come undone?

Who do you need,

Who do you love,

When you come undone?

Can't ever keep from falling apart...

Who do you need,

Who do you love,

When you come undone?

Can't ever keep from falling apart...

Who do you need,

Who do you love?

Can't ever keep from falling apart...

Who do you love...

When you come undone?

Can't ever keep from falling apart...

Broken strings by James Morrison, transcribed by Aleandra La Rocca

Let me hold you for the last time

It's the last chance to feel again

But you broke me

Now I can't feel anything

When I love you, I'm so untrue

I can't even convince myself

When I'm speaking is the voice of someone else

Oh, it tears me up, I tried to hold on but it hurts too much

I tried to forgive but it's not enough to make it all ok

You can't play on broken strings, you can't feel anything

that your heart don't want to feel

I can't tell you something ain't real

Oh the truth hurts, a lie is worse

I can't like it anymore

When I love you a little less than before

Oh, what are we doing?

We are turning into dust

Playing house in the ruin of us

Running back through the fire when there's nothing left to say

It's like chasing the very last train when it's too late, too late

Oh, it tears me up, I tried to hold on but it hurts too much

I tried to forgive but it's not enough to make it all ok

You can't play on broken strings, you can't feel anything

that your heart don't want to feel

I can't tell you something that ain't real

Oh the truth hurts, a lie is worse

I can't like it anymore

When I love you a little less than before

But we're running through the fire when there's nothing left to say

It's like chasing the very last train when we both know that it's too late

You can't play on broken strings, you can't feel anything

that your heart don't want to feel

I can't tell you something that ain't real

Oh the truth hurts, a lie is worse

I can't like it anymore

When I love you a little less than before

Oh, and I love you a little less than before

Let me hold you for the last time

It's the last chance to feel again

"Greatest love of all" by Whitney Houston, transcribed by Giusy Boccalatte

I believe that children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to

I've never found anyone who fulfill my needs

A lonely place to be

So I learnt to depend on me.

I decided long ago never to walk in anyone shadow

If I fail, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe.

No matter what they take from me, they can't take away my dignity.

Because the greatest love of all is happening to me

I found the greatest love of all inside of me            

The greatest love of all is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all.

I believe that children are our future 

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside.

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be.

I decided long ago never to walk in anyone shadow

If I fail, If I succeed, at least I'll leave as I believe.

No matter what they take for me they can't take away my dignity

Because the greatest love of all is happening to me

I found the greatest love of all inside of me.

The greatest love of all is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all.

And if by chance that special place that you've been dreaming of

Leads you to a lonely place

Find your strength in love.

We Don’t Talk Anymore by Charlie Puth, transcribed by Gianluca Cirino

We don't talk anymore,   X3

Like we used to do

We don't love anymore 

What is allowed before?

We don't talk anymore 

Like we used to do.

I just heard (found) when you've been looking

You've have been looking for

I wish (..............) numer (..........) was me

'Cause when you have to (round) 

I'm steel wonder

Why I can be (fan)

Just when you are dancing (easily)

Don't wanna know 

Can your dress you wear tonight

If it's all an (an.....) ?

Wait a (deep) before

I overdose

Should I've known your love is a game

Now I can (catch up) my brain

Oh, it's such a shame!

We don't talk anymore X3

Like we used to do

We don't love anymore

What is allowed before?

We don't talk anymore X3

Like we used to do

I just hoped in (laying.. ) somebody

(.................) love you (....) like me

He must be egoism much (.....)

Every (......) my (.....) 

(..........................)about your (door)

I'm just too afraid that all we wrong

Don't wanna know 

If you're are looking in me your eyes

Of it's all an (.......................)

Wait a (deep) before

I overdose

Should I've know your love is a game 

Now I can (catch up) my brain

Oh, it's such a shame

We don't talk anymore X3

Like we used to do

We don't love anymore

What is allowed before?

We don't talk anymore

Like we used to do

Don't wanna know 

Can your dress you wear tonight 

If it's an (..............)

I overdose

Should I've known your love is a game

Now I can (catch up) my brain

Oh, it's such a shame

We don't talk anymore X3

Like we used to do

We don't love anymore

Wait a deep before

I overdose 

Oh it's such a shame!

We don't talk anymore

HAPPY ENDING by Mika, transcribed by Chiara Ferrarotto

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

Wake up in the morning, stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen, I guess I wish you well
A little bit of heaven, but a little bit of hell

This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more

I feel as if I'm wastin'
And I'm wastin' everyday

Imagine by John Lennon, transcribed by Lisa Ferrarotto

Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope some day you'll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

Our brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope some day you'll join us

And the world will be as one.

This is Me by Demi Lovato, transcribed by Albarosa Sgroi

"I've always been the kind of girl

That hid my face

So afraid to tell the world

What I've got to say

But I have this dream

Right inside of me

I'm going to let it show

It's time to let you know

to let you know

This is real, this is me,

I'm exactly where

I'm supposed to be now,

going to let the light shine on me.

Now I found Who I am

there's no way to hold it in,

no more hiding Who I Want to be,

this is me.

Do you know what it's like

to feel so in the dark?

To dream about a life

where you're the shining star.

Even thogh it seems

like it's too far away,

I have to believe in my self,

it's the only way...!!

This is real, this is me,

I'm exactly where

I'm supposed to be now,

going to let the light shine on me.

Now I found Who I am

there's no way to hold it in,

no more hiding Who I Want to be,

this is me.

You're the voice I hear

Inside my head,

The reason that I'm singing

I need to find you

I want to find you

You're the missing piece

I need , the song inside of me

I need to find you

I want to find you."