ESL Podcast 371 - A Scandal
to step down - to resign an important position; to quit a high-level job or position
The candidate knew he would lose the election and decided to leave the race.
resignation - a formal statement or letter stating that one is leaving or quitting one's job; a formal announcement that one will no longer be in a position or job
He hated his job as a garbage man so he gave his boss his letter of resignation.
allegation - statements that someone has done something wrong or illegal, possibly not true; an accusation
Newspapers have made allegations that she stole money from her company. However, so far there is no evidence to support these allegations.
affair - a short sexual relationship, usually a secret
The secretary is having an affair with the company's executive.
pregnant - when a woman has a child grow inside her womb (stomach); when a woman is carrying a baby
My friend just told me he is going to be a father. His wife is three months pregnant!
to go public - to tell something private to a lot of people; to confess something that one has done
Thousands of newspapers where sold when the president went public about her plans to fix the healthcare system.
to deny - to state that something is not true; to tell others that what has been said about oneself is untrue
He denied breaking the window, but I am sure he did it.
made up - a created or invented story that is not true; an imagined or false story or idea
Never believe anything he says. He always makes things up.
to cover up - to hide the truth; to try to prevent others from knowing the truth
Some people believe that the government covers up the existence of aliens, but they do exist.
a lot to lose - when one has many things to lose, for example, one's job or reputation
She is rich, respected, and successful. She should be careful because she has a lot to lose.
to lose (one's) head - to not have good judgment because of emotions such as love or anger; to do something that one would not normally do because of strong emotions or not having enough time to think
My brother deleted my assignment from the computer. I was so angry that I lost my head and threw a glass of water at him!
public eye - having the attention of many ordinary people; being known by the general public
She is a famous actress so she gets no privacy. She's always in the public eye.
to play with fire - to be involved in a dangerous or serious situation; to do something that may cause a serous or bad result
He didn't know that insulting the border guards was playing with fire.
embarrassment - feeling shame; feeling uncomfortable because of something negative about oneself or about something that one has done
She went red with embarrassment when her mother showed her new boyfriend some old photographs.
extenuating circumstances - reasons why a crime or something wrong that one has done seem less serious; reasons or circumstances for getting less punishment than one would normally get for doing something wrong
The man was accused of robbery, but because of extenuating circumstances, he didn't go to prison.
serves (someone) right - a phrase used when one believes that another person deserves the punishment he or she receives
My friend just got a divorce and lost his house. It serves him right because he was unfaithful to his wife.