Learn English meaning of 'wires crossed'

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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• finishing touch
• run out of
• come up with
• solution

• wires crossed
• misunderstanding
• file organizer
• cubicle

• malfunction
• temporary

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Imagine this: It is your birthday, and your friends invite you out for dinner. Since it is your special day, you imagine that someone else will take care of the bill. You leave your wallet at home. However, when the check arrives, everyone agrees to split the cost. Your friends are expecting you to help pay for the food! It looks like you and your friends got the wires crossed.

We use the expression “get the wires crossed” when we have a misunderstanding. It’s possible to get the wires crossed with a person or with a situation. For instance, maybe, you ordered soup in a restaurant but got a salad. You and the waiter probably got the wires crossed. Or maybe, you were late to class because you took the wrong train. You must have gotten the wires crossed about the train schedule. And, of course, it is especially easy to get the wires crossed when you are studying a foreign language!

It looks like there has been a misunderstanding at the office. Watch the video to find out how the wires got crossed.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Andy_H

Sheila

Jordin

Kelsey

Dominique

Andy_H:  Sorry, Sheila. I’m just trying to get my file organizer ​to stay in my cubicle.

Sheila:  It’s not a cubicle.

Andy_H:  Jordin, can I borrow some tape? ­I’m having a cubicle malfunction.

Sheila:  It’s not a cubicle.

Jordin:  Sure, I just need to put the finishing touches on Dominique’s cubicle.

Sheila:  Still not a cubicle.

Jordin:  What, this?

Sheila:  Alright, that’s it. Jordin, I think we got our wires crossed​ about the cubicles.

Jordin:  What do you mean?

Sheila:  We wanted cubicles, not recycled box art.

Jordin:  I’m sorry. It seemed like a good idea…

Kelsey:  It’s is! I really like them. I can totally decorate, but the walls are small, so it’s like we’re all still together.

Sheila:  My point exactly. Thank you, Kelsey.

Andy_H:  I don’t know. I really like the idea, but I’m having a really hard time getting my organizer to stay up. And I’m going to run out of room for my Post-­It Notes.

Dominique:  This looks great, Jordin!

Jordin:  Thank you!

Sheila:  OK. I am a little confused and I feel like we got our wires crossed ​about the cubicles. When I said I thought it might be nice to have cubicles, I meant actual cubicles. I think there was a misunderstanding. These aren’t cubicles, these are boxes.

Dominique:  I understand. Unfortunately, cubicles are too expensive so I asked Jordin to come up with a solution. It’s only temporary. It gives us each a little privacy.

Kelsey:  There is one problem… Not enough room to decorate! There.

Andy_H:  Sorry.

 

Grammar Point

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