Bonemeal

Tuesday was to be a bad day for Jenny. “Ah, there you are at last,” scowled Mr Jones as she hurried into the office only a few minutes late. “I’ve got a (reason to have an argument) with you!” He always started the morning this way — scolding and bad-tempered — he was a (totally stuck in his way) bully.

“What’s the matter?” asked Jenny. “I’ll tell you what the matter is,” snapped Mr Jones. “You’ve been late every day for months. I’ll (say this without restraint), you’re just (very lazy). What are you?”

“I am a (very lazy person), Mr Jones,” agreed Jenny — it was no use arguing with him when he was in this mood.

“What’s up, Jenny?” asked Bob as she went dejectedly to her desk. “Has Mr Jones been shouting at you?”

“I am afraid so,” answered Jenny, “but don’t worry about me, I know his bark is worse than his bite!” And she immediately began to feel more cheerful.

“Quite right,” said Bob, “and anyway, harsh words (don’t cause physical hurt).”

However, as soon as Jenny opened the front door that evening her cheerfulness left her — something was wrong, she could (sense it intuitively).

“Is that you, Jen? Better late than never,” whined her mother. So that was what was wrong — her mother was feeling sorry for herself again. “I hope you’ve got something tastier for dinner than last night’s fish pie,” she moaned, “it was so dry I almost choked — (very dry), in fact!”

“Tonight I’m making spaghetti bolognaise,” said Jenny coolly — the evening meal had always been a (subject that causes disagreement) in this household.

“I can’t eat this foreign rubbish,” complained Jenny’s mother after a single mouthful. “When will you ever learn to feed us properly? I’m getting skinnier by the day. In fact I’m already only (very thin). At this rate I’ll never (live to be very old).

Jenny could stand it no longer. One glance at her mother’s well-padded form made her lose her temper:

“You’ve already been old a long, long time,” she said unpleasantly.

“Oh, Jenny, how could you say that?” gasped her mother, and Jenny had to admit to herself that her remark ahd been a bit (so close to the truth as to be hurtful).

“I’m sorry,” she conceded, “but I’ve had enough of your whining, Mum. I’m out five days a week, (making a great effort) in order to give you a decent meal each evening, and all you do is complain. The (basic facts) of the matter are that you do nothing and I do everything.”

Later, Jenny went out for a calming walk, forgetting in her distracted mood to pick up her umbrella although it was threatening rain outside. Five minutes later she was caught in a deluge. Feeling (extremely cold) she decided that Tuesday had definitely been not a good day for Jenny.

1. chilled to the bone

2. bone of contention

3. bare bones

4. working my fingers to the bone

5. bone to pick

6. bred in the bone

7. lazy bones

8. bone idle

9. near the bone

10. make old bones

11. feel it in her bones

12. dry as a bone

13. make no bones about it

14. break no bones

15. skin and bones

SEMINAR 6