American Idioms

Professor Charles Bordogna

CHAPTER 3: A New Used Car

(Scene: Outside his apartment house, Ashish, an Indian student, shows his American friend, Chuck, the pre-owned that car he purchased)

Chuck: So, Ashish, how much did this car set you back?

Ashish: Not much really. Do you like it?

Chuck: I like it as long as someone didn't palm off a lemon on you.

Ashish: This is a classic! A 1974 Pontiac with power steering, power brakes, and only 62,000 miles!

Chuck: It's a far cry from what I expected you to come back with.

Ashish: This old lady only wanted $2000 for it. Then I pointed out the age and some dents and she reduced the price even more.

Chuck: What did she knock it down to?

Ashish: Only $1,000. Look, I wanted a big car, with a big engine, chrome bumpers, and lots of room inside! I got it!

Chuck: You mean to tell me you took it off her hands for only a thousand? This sounds too good to be true. But let's not lose sight of some things, like how good are the engine, the brakes, and the suspension. Did you have a mechanic check the car out?

Ashish: I looked it over carefully. Don't worry. I know plenty about cars. I've worked on them. The old lady told me that she took great care of it. She said that she kept it in her garage and changed the oil every three thousand miles. The 62,000 miles is the original mileage.

Chuck: That's all? I'd bet it's more like 262,000 miles! I don't want to get personal, but I think you were had. Let me take it out for a spin and put it through its paces. We'll see how it holds up.

Ashish: No way! I've seen how you drive!

Chuck: I don't know. At face value, it seems like you got a great deal. Of course, gas is going to cost you a fortune, since you'll get only seven miles to the gallon.

Ashish: I don't care. I've dreamed for a long time of owning a car like this.

Chuck: Seriously, I wish you the best. It's what you want. Besides, it will certainly turn heads!

Ashish: And it's all mine!

Practice and Activities <--Mobile Compatible Version

Exercise 1   Exercise 2 <--Flash Required