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Make a Mountain Out of a Molehill

Learn English in this lesson about 'Make a Mountain Out of a Molehill'

Date: Apr 26 2016

Themes: Friend, School, Soap Opera, Work

Grammar: Tag Questions

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Intro

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

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

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As a student of English, you’ve probably taken many exams! Imagine this: You have an exam tomorrow, and you are very nervous about it. Maybe, you forgot to study, or maybe, the material is very difficult. You start to get worried. You might even lose sleep. But the next day, when you take the exam, you realize that it is easy! You feel so much relief. You were scared for no reason. You were making a mountain out of a molehill.

We use the expression “make a mountain out of a molehill” to talk about a situation where we think something is a big problem, but it is actually a small problem. When we make a mountain out of a molehill, we get really upset about something only to find out that it is not such a big deal, after all. We usually feel happy and relieved when we realize out that our big, scary “mountain” is really just a tiny “molehill.”

Jordin is worried about talking to Dominique. Is she making a mountain out of a molehill? Find out in today’s lesson.

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.

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

Dominique

Jordin

Andy_H

Dominique: I’ve been really impressed with your work here, Jordin.

Jordin: Thank you! I really love interning here. I have a question for you. I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill here, but I am a little nervous to ask you.

Dominique: I want you to feel comfortable being open and honest here, so ask away!

Jordin: So, everyone who works here kind of has something they love to do, right? Something they’re really good at. For example, Andy, he loves movies.

Andy_H: You have only yet begun to discover your power. Together, we will rule the galaxy as father and son. If only you knew the power of the dark side. What did you think?

Jordin: And Kelsey, she has her music. Sheila just loves her work so much. And you have this business, which is so cool.

Dominique: So, you don’t have that one thing you love?

Jordin: Well, I think I know what it is…

Dominique: Tell me! That’s great!

Jordin: I want to go back to school. I love learning.

Dominique: That’s a wonderful idea!

Jordin: But I still want to intern here. Is that OK?

Dominique: Of course, we can make it work.

Jordin: That is such a relief. I was so scared to ask you.

Dominique: It’s really not a big deal. We can work out the schedule. You really were making a mountain out of a molehill. So, do you know what you’re going to study?

Jordin: I’m interested in so many different things. I think starting back at school will help me decide which direction I want to go.

Andy_H: Join me, Luke. Together, we will rule the galaxy as father and son.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Jordin feels like everyone at the office has something they love. Andy loves movies. Kelsey loves music. Sheila loves her work. And Dominique runs her own business. Jordin tells Dominique that there is something she loves, too. She loves learning and going to school. However, she is nervous to let Dominique know about this. Jordin wants to go back to school, but she also wants to keep her internship.

Dominique thinks it is a wonderful idea for Jordin to go back to school. She says that there was no need for Jordin to be nervous about telling her. She was making a mountain out of a molehill. Dominique says that they can work with Jordin’s schedule so that she can study the things she wants and keep her internship.

What do you love to do? Have you ever made a mountain out of a molehill?

Comments

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Buttafly, I know what you’re talking about. It’s a nuisance, that’s why I had to put an end to this pain because E,baby is not the only web where I used get spam ads popping out in my face all the time. I hope you can find a way out of this soon :)

buttafly

Germany

La Princesse.....Ads, spams..whatever you call them they’re a pain in the neck!!

Chrome is one of the most popular browsers. I don’t have spam issues on my private settings. Here, there seems to be an army of spammers who continuously abuse the wall without any limits ….

Zigayi

Germany

I have never made me a lot of pressure on my life learning, passing exam and working was for me always a part of my life.
But the biggest challenge for me was to Trust someone.
And now – I have found him I know that I do not worry.
He makes my life meaningful and easy :))

ahmet55

Germany

I love my love!!!.

In fact, there are plenty of things I would like to implement in my normal daily life and particularly in these days. First and the most important one is dealing with the stuff for my future life which is gonna be started since July. It’s a long long story.!!! The most important stage in my life.!!

Besides that, I’ve got my qualification exam including three exams in the next week. Honestly, I hope I’ve made a mountain out of a molehill in this case too. I wish I pass them easily to be my final passed exams in my educational life. In addition, I love reading Turkish books recently. I have to acknowledge that I get into Sahadin Ali’s books totally. It has to be noted that life is really wonderful if you have your best person in your life beside you. J

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

buttafly, Do you mean “ads”? If I am right, try “AdBlock” extension from Chrome extensions. It cancels all ads from any websites. I’m using Chrome so I’m not sure if it’s going to work with other browsers. I hope that helps.

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

I love learning new languages. And I make a mountain out of every molehill in my daily life, but I always find out later that it was just a tiny glitch or no big deal to keep haunting my thoughts. But I still worry about the little things despite all of that. And I’m working to fix that.

txbluebee

United States

I used to make a mountain out of molehill when I need to speak in public. I worried I can’t pronounce words and use grammar correctly. Also I was afraid that my brain will go blank all the sudden. After many pratices, I realize public speaking is not as scary as as I thought.

Hamedrees

Sudan

try to delete it ,, just

buttafly

Germany

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill if I say this site is completely flooded with irrelevant spam mails?

Hamedrees

Sudan

yesterday we have an employer work with our company , and his son been patient at the hospital , and he need to tell us by that to help him to cross this tough time because the month is not completed yet so now he need money , he came to me and said I have some in need in and want you give me some borrow of my salary till the head of month (i’am acounter of the company) ,

for his fotunately I tell the manager about that and he said give him what he need without Deduction from his salary , WEW all that right , I presage him , he was so happy and appreciate us , so please let the oversense and talk without makeing a mountain out of molehill >??

zhuxiaohui

China

My boss arrange so many work to me ,i’m very scared as I have never done so many work before and I know nothing about them,but when I start proceeding them one by one,I find out it’s really not a big deal,I ‘m very good for these work.So I think i made a mountain out of molehill before.You will never know whether it’s simple or complicated if you never have a try.