Here is a short story about the love of a mother to her child. You’ll find idiom definitions, example sentences, conversations, and a short quiz after reading the story.
Sarah was sitting in her bed, thinking of her child Emma. Suddenly, Emma came in and asked, “Hi, mom. I am looking for you because I like to hug you first before I hit the sack tonight.”
Sarah smiled, hugged her daughter and replied, “Thank you for being such a lovely and obedient child.”
“It’s not rocket science to be an obedient child,” Sarah insisted. “I think I should be the one thankful as you never had the last straw no matter a perfect storm comes in anytime. I admire you for that, mom.”
Sarah smiled and said, “Emma, I am your mother, and I should be there for you no matter what happens. I make sure that you grow with a sense of responsibility and never miss the boat.”
Sarah and Emma went to bed with a smile.
Hit the sack
Meaning
- go to bed
Example Sentences
George always plans to hit the sack at nine o’clock in the evening.
Samuel thinks that he should better hit the sack as soon as his mother arrived.
A: You look so tired. You need to rest now.
B: Yes, I will. I am going to hit the sack after I finish my homework.
It’s not rocket science
Meaning
- something that is not difficult to do
Example Sentences
Going to the meeting on time is not rocket science.
Cleaning your house regularly is not rocket science.
A: I can’t think of other words anymore. I guess you win again.
B: It’s only a simple crossword, my friend. It is not rocket science.
The last straw
Meaning
- someone’s patience has run out
Example Sentences
People always wait for the last straw before they take action for their country.
Jerry is not going to wait for the last straw as he immediately reported his sister’s dishonesty to their mom.
A: I am sorry. I was not able to arrive on time.
B: You are always late, and this will be the last straw.
A perfect storm
Meaning
- a combination of challenging situations or events
Example Sentences
It’s almost a perfect storm if you studied all night for the whole semester, and yet you still get a failing score in your exam.
The governor is under a perfect storm of allegations about his performance and tax evasion issues.
A: How are you today? I heard about your company’s plan filing for bankruptcy.
B: Yes, that is correct. This will be a perfect storm for us as we are not sure about our job’s stability.
Miss the boat
Meaning
- to miss something or lose an opportunity due to being too slow
Example Sentences
Be sure that you will not miss the boat when you always pay attention to other things instead of studying for your exams.
Eden and her friends are always searching for better opportunities so that they will not miss the boat.
A: You are still jobless right now? What are your plans?
B: I am planning to enroll in some workshops to upgrade my knowledge and skills. I still believe I have not missed the boat.
Quiz
1. ______________ as early as you can so that you can wake up early tomorrow.
2. Learning how to cook rice is not _______________.
3. The neighborhood is noisy all night, so I need to report them as I am not going to wait for ________________.
4. My sister has always experienced ________________ in her work due to her poor time management skills.
5. Glenda always ________________ as she never prepares well in her job interview.