English in Common 6

Extra Vocabulary Study Metaphors

UNIT 3
1a Look at the picture and answer the questions.
1. What kind of relationship do the people have?
2. What do you think the story is about?

b Read the story. Who is the narrator describing? What made them
the way they are?

Top chefs arent known for their warm personalities. Assistants who overcook the
pasta by ten seconds usually struggle to get out of the kitchen alive. My father was
a top chef. Wed had a stormy relationship for years, but I decided to follow in his
footsteps anyway, and train as a chef. It was better than the dead end Id reached with
the job Id been doing.
After three years I became head chef in a restaurant called The Tortoise. As
the boss, I called the shots, but if anything went wrong, I was the one on the firing line. Experiencing the sweaty
kitchens, the egos, the closeness, I learned why my father was the way he was. When I began, I didnt have my sights
set on anything much I just wanted a regular job but soon I realized my career was taking off. The rich and
famous started to visit the restaurant, and eventually I reached a crossroads: I could either open my own restaurant or
go and work for one of the big ones. Then destiny intervened. My father retired, and I got his job.
On my first day, I received a chilly reception. No one would talk to me. What made it worse is that I was feeling
under the weather I had a cold, and my hands were shaking as I went into the kitchen. I held my breath, stood up
in front of everyone and said, My name is Leah Kleist. You all know my father. Whether you loved him or hated him,
I dont care. He is the past. Now lets get to work. And we did.

2 Write each metaphor in bold from the reading next to its meaning.
Describing life as a journey
1. do the same things someone did before you:
2. with no progress possible:
3. start to become successful:
4. come to a time when you have to decide about your future:

Describing character or feelings as weather

5. friendly character:
6. with lots of arguing and strong feelings:
7. unfriendly welcome:
8. ill:

Describing business as war

9. fight:
10. make the important decisions:
11. responsible if something goes wrong:
12. have a goal or an objective:

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Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
3 Complete the sentences using metaphors from Exercise 2.
1. I went to the doctor because I was feeling a bit the .
2. We tried to develop the project, but soon wed reached a .
3. Theyre always shouting and screaming at each other. They definitely have a
!
4. Im the Chief Executive and major decision-maker, so I have to shots.
5. My career began to when I landed a role in a TV series.
6. As the manager, you are the line when things go wrong.
7. She had her sights fame and fortune, so she went to Hollywood.
8. Will you follow your mothers or work in a different field?

4 Choose one topic and write a paragraph or two about it.

something you struggled to do
a dead-end job youd hate
something you have your sights set on
someone whose footsteps youd like to follow in
someone whod get a frosty reception in your home

Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.