Inspirational journeys

Follow the stories of academics and their research expeditions

Shaking like a Jelly

Shady Abuyusuf

Thu, 21 Nov 2024

306

Shaking like a Jelly

Shady: Hey Tom, guess what I'll be talking about today?

Tom: What's up, Shady? Tell me.

Shady: Jelly! Isn't that just yummy? 

Tom: Oh, absolutely! Jelly is delicious.

Shady: But you know what's even more interesting? It's not just a type of food. It can collocate with other English words to create some really interesting meanings.

Tom: Really? Like what?

Shady: Well, imagine you're at the dentist's office, waiting in the reception area, and you hear those horrible screams coming from the doctor's room.

Tom: Oh, I hate that feeling.

Shady: Yeah, it's awful. You might say, "Damn, now my knees are like jelly."

Tom: That's a vivid description.

Shady: Exactly! And let's say you're trying to convince someone that fizzy drinks are harmful, but they just won't listen to you no matter what evidence you provide.

Tom: Yeah, some people can be stubborn.

Shady: Right? So you could say, "Convincing him that fizzy drinks are harmful was like nailing jelly to a tree."

Tom: I see what you mean. It's like an impossible task.

Shady: Exactly! And what if you have an exam but you're completely unprepared?

Tom: Oh, that's the worst feeling.

Shady: You might say, "When I looked at the exam paper, I was shaking like a jelly."

Tom: Yeah, I can imagine feeling really nervous in that situation.

Shady: Anyway, I guess I should go. My wife's calling, and I have to leave. I know that convincing her that I'm working on an article about jelly will be like nailing a jelly to the wall. 

Tom: Haha, good luck with that! See you later, Shady!

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