On the horns of a dilemma

ON THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA

O que significa essa expressão em INGLÊS

By Alberto Queiroz

MAIRO VERGARA

Sep. 10, 2025

A expressão deste post é bastante pitoresca, mas se refere a um tipo de situação pelo qual todos nós, em algum momento de nossas vidas, acabamos passando: uma decisão difícil, onde dispomos de duas alternativas igualmente insatisfatórias.
Mas a essa altura você deve estar se perguntando: por que falamos “chifres de um dilema” – que “chifres” são esses?
Bem, para responder a isso, precisamos voltar no tempo, mais ou menos um par de milênios. Isso porque a expressão surgiu justamente no Latim dos romanos. A expressão, então, era argumentum cornutum: “um argumento com chifres”, onde pode-se acabar empalado tanto em um quanto em outro chifre.
Na Língua Inglesa, conforme nos contam os dicionários, a expressão on the horns of a dilemma começou a ser usada por volta do século dezesseis, e nunca caiu em desuso desde então. Ainda é muito comum encontrarmos essa frase mesmo em noticiários ou artigos na internet.
E para traduzir on the horns of a dilemma? Bem, em Português existe uma expressão parecida: “nas garras de um dilema”. É dela que nos valemos neste texto, mas é claro que você pode usar qualquer outra expressão que transmita a ideia de uma decisão difícil de tomar.
Vamos lá para as frases de exemplo.

• The head of the New York office was on the horns of a dilemma and wondering what to do. (O diretor do escritório de Nova Iorque estava nas garras de um dilema, perguntando-se o que fazer.)
• I’m really on the horns of a dilemma here – do I say no to this great job opportunity, or do I accept it and move away from my family? (Eu estou realmente nas garras de um dilema aqui – será que digo não a essa ótima oportunidade de emprego ou a aceito e me mudo para longe da minha família?)
• Mary found herself on the horns of a dilemma. She didn’t know which to choose. (Mary se viu nas garras de um dilema. Ela não sabia o que escolher.)
• I make up my mind easily. I’m not on the horns of a dilemma very often. (Eu me decido facilmente. Não fico nas garras de um dilema com muita frequência.)
• I’m on the horns of a dilemma: if I sell the house now, I have no place to live, but if I wait I may not get as good a price. (Estou nas garras de um dilema: se vendo a casa agora, não terei onde viver, mas se esperar, posso não conseguir um preço tão bom.)
• When Mary was offered two equally attractive jobs, she found herself on the horns of a dilemma. (Quando Mary recebeu a oferta de dois empregos igualmente atraentes, ela se viu nas garras de um dilema.)
• So the government is impaled on the horns of a dilemma. (Assim o governo é capturado nas garras de um dilema.)
• The judge admitted he was on the horns of a dilemma. (O juiz admitiu que estava nas garras de um dilema.)
• Republicans are stuck on the horns of a dilemma. (Os republicanos estão entalados nas garras de um dilema.)
• New Zealand is on the horns of a dilemma when dealing with the coronavirus crisis. (Nova Zelândia está nas garras de um dilema ao lidar com a crise do coronavírus.)

Clique AQUI para baixar o PDF com as frases acima.
Clique AQUI para baixar a gravação com todas as frases em Inglês.

Adaptado de: https://www.mairovergara.com/on-the-horns-of-a-dilemma-o-que-significa-esta-expressao/. Acesso em: 10 set. 2025. © Reis Vergara Idiomas 2025. Todos os direitos reservados.

Nothing to write home about

NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT

O que significa essa expressão em INGLÊS

By Alberto Queiroz

MAIRO VERGARA

Sep. 9, 2025

Quando usamos a expressão nothing to write home about para descrever alguma coisa – um lugar, um evento, ou seja o que for –, a conotação é a de alguma coisa que não tem muita importância ou valor.
Veja só: antigamente, o jeito mais comum de dar notícias a seus familiares em casa seria através de cartas. Cartas levam tempo para escrever, de forma que nelas acabamos deixando de fora as coisas mais corriqueiras ou indignas de atenção (diferentemente do Instagram). Assim, algo que não é “nada sobre o que se escrever para casa” é justamente algo “insignificante” ou “nada de mais”. “Não é aquelas coisas”, como poderíamos dizer. Ou ainda: “nada extraordinário”, “nada muito excepcional” etc.
Veja só como aplicar essa expressão idiomática no dia a dia:

• Their performance was nothing to write home about. (O desempenho deles não foi nada de mais.)
• The food at that restaurant is nothing to write home about. (A comida naquele restaurante não é muito “aquelas coisas”.)
• The hotel was good, but the food was nothing to write home about. (O hotel era bom, mas a comida não era nada de mais.)
• It gets good reviews, but the new sushi restaurant is really nothing to write home about. (Ele recebe boas avaliações, mas o novo restaurante de sushi realmente não é nada demais.)
• His performance has been nothing to write home about so far. To be honest, we were expecting much more out of him. (O desempenho dele não tem sido nada excepcional até agora. Para ser sincero, estávamos esperando muito mais dele.)
• I went to that new restaurant last night. It’s nothing to write home about. (Fui àquele novo restaurante na noite passada. Não é nada de mais.)
• The restaurant was all right but nothing to write home about. (O restaurante era bonzinho, mas nada excepcional.)
• The house was nothing to write home about. (A casa não era nada de extraordinário.)
• The nightlife here is not much to write home about. (A vida noturna aqui não é nada muito excepcional.)
• I got a little bit of a raise this year, but it was nothing to write home about. (Recebi um pequeno aumento esse ano, mas não foi nada de mais.)

Finalmente, você também pode usar essa expressão de forma invertida para indicar que alguma coisa é, sim, excepcional: that’s really something to write home about. Por exemplo:

• The beaches really are something to write home about. (As praias realmente são excepcionais.)

Clique AQUI para baixar o PDF com as frases acima.
Clique AQUI para baixar a gravação com todas as frases em Inglês.

Adaptado de: https://www.mairovergara.com/nothing-to-write-home-about-o-que-significa-esta-expressao/. Acesso em: 10 set. 2025. © Reis Vergara Idiomas 2025. Todos os direitos reservados.

As cool as a cucumber

AS COOL AS A CUCUMBER

O que significa essa expressão em INGLÊS

By Alberto Queiroz

MAIRO VERGARA

Sep. 2, 2025

Literalmente, em Inglês, as cool as a cucumber significa “frio como um pepino” (aliás, não “legal como um pepino”, como pensa o tradutor do Google). Mas coolness, como você deve saber, se refere à qualidade de “calma”, “de frieza”. Assim, as cool as a cucumber é uma expressão figurada: “frio como um pepino” significa simplesmente “muito frio” (pepinos são 95% de água, portanto ficam frescos por muito tempo).
“Muito frio”, aqui, é o mesmo que “muito calmo”, “muito tranquilo”.
Mas note que as cool as a cucumber não significa, contrariamente ao que dizem certos sites, “sussa”. Primeiro porque as cool as a cucumber não é gíria na Língua Inglesa; segundo, porque a expressão é usada especialmente para contrastar uma pessoa que está calma com outras que não estão, ou para enfatizar a calma de alguém mesmo em uma situação muito difícil.
Assim, são traduções melhores para as cool as a cucumber as sugestões do Houaiss: “perfeitamente calmo”, “sereno”, “senhor de si”.
Vejamos alguns exemplos.

• The exam is in less than an hour, but I’m as cool as a cucumber. (A prova é em menos de uma hora, mas estou perfeitamente calma.)
• Hearing the news, everyone in the room panicked except for Tracey – she looked as cool as a cucumber. (Ouvindo a notícia, todo o mundo na sala entrou em pânico exceto pela Tracey – ela parecia perfeitamente serena.)
• The actress was as cool as a cucumber after winning her Oscar. She looked poised and elegant as usual. (A atriz estava perfeitamente calma após ganhar seu Oscar. Ela tinha o aspecto centrado e elegante de costume.)
• She walked in as cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened. (Ela entrou com a maior calma, como se nada tivesse acontecido.)
• Despite the mishap Margaret was cool as a cucumber. (Apesar do contratempo, Margaret ficou perfeitamente calma.)
• I was petrified to take the stage, but Alice was as cool as a cucumber. (Eu estava paralisado ante a perspectiva de subir ao palco, mas a Alice estava perfeitamente calma.)
• Practicing meditation has helped me to be as cool as a cucumber in times of trouble. (A prática da meditação me ajudou a me manter perfeitamente tranquilo em períodos difíceis.)
• Joan felt nervous, but she acted as cool as a cucumber. (Joan sentia-se nervosa, mas agia com a maior tranquilidade.)
• Karen is usually as cool as a cucumber when she appears on television. (Karen é geralmente muito serena quando aparece na televisão.)
• The politician kept cool as a cucumber throughout the interview with the aggressive journalist. (O político se manteve perfeitamente autocontrolado durante a entrevista com o agressivo jornalista.)

Clique AQUI para baixar o PDF com as frases acima.
Clique AQUI para baixar a gravação com todas as frases em Inglês.

Adaptado de: https://www.mairovergara.com/as-cool-as-a-cucumber-o-que-significa-esta-expressao/. Acesso em: 10 set. 2025. © Reis Vergara Idiomas 2025. Todos os direitos reservados.

ESL WORKSHEET - City trip

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

A CITY TRIP (AmE) / A CITY BREAK (BrE)

Updated Lesson

LinguaHouse

Sep. 9, 2025

Level: Elementary (A1-A2)
Type of language: General English
Tags: Travel and Leisure; People and Places; Describing Places; Road and Transportation; Town and Country; Types of Holiday; Developing an Argument; Vocabulary and Grammar; Useful Vocabulary; Phrasal Verbs; Speaking Verbs and Phrases
Publication date: 09/09/2025

In this updated lesson, students will look at city trips. Students will first learn about some cities and places, and discuss which ones they would like to visit. After some vocabulary and comprehension tasks, they then will listen to five different people talk about their own city trips. They also will play a fun game of snakes and ladders, giving them the opportunity to talk about the topic and practice the grammar point (there was/were). They wrap up by extending their vocabulary on the topic. (by Edward Alden)

• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/watch the video (MP4).

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Alexis: When I go on a city trip, I like to go to all the famous places! I look at travel guides, and visit popular stores, famous places… I like traveling slowly so I can really see everything! Last month, I was in Rome, and there were so many cool things to do and see, like the Colosseum. The only problem was that there were many people there. But there was also a great restaurant, with a delicious pizza!
Sherif: I don’t like visiting busy places when I travel, but sometimes I go to concerts in cities like London, or Rome, and I don’t really stay more than one night. Sure, walking around and visiting famous places is nice, but it’s not my thing! Two years ago I was at a Paramore concert in Paris, and it was so much fun! There were a lot of people, but the place was big, and very organized. The Eiffel Tower at night was beautiful, and there were so many lights! There even was a man playing the violin! I want to go back there soon.
Georgia: I don’t want to feel like a tourist when I travel. I want to feel like a local! So I always try to make friends when I visit a new city. For example, last year I was in Budapest, and there was a really nice girl on the same bus as me! We went to an art museum, and there were so many beautiful paintings! After that, we went to a small market, and there was a beautiful pair of pants that were a nice gift for my mom. At night, we went to a local nightclub. There was a great DJ there, and we danced all night!
Tarique: When I visit a city, I like to eat! I love to walk around and visit the restaurants near my hotel. I also ask people where I can find the best food! Two months ago, I was in Rio de Janeiro, and there were so many delicious dishes! There was feijoada, coxinha, pastel… there even was a sandwich place near the Christ statue! Rio de Janeiro is a good place to visit if you like eating!
Mahi: I don’t travel abroad a lot because of my work, so I like taking the train and visiting places close to my hometown. I live in a small town near Osaka, so it’s very easy to take the train to visit places. I like to walk around the big city, and do some shopping. There are many stores with things I can’t get back home. Yesterday, I was at Namba Walk, and there were so many beautiful clothes! There was also a new makeup store, with many new products!

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/a-city-break. Accessed on September 10, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.

ESL WORKSHEET - Religions

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

RELIGION

LinguaHouse

Sep. 7, 2025

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Type of language: General English
Tags: Behavior, Feelings and Emotions; Beliefs, Religion and Superstition; Religions and Religious Activities; Ethics and Conduct; Society and Change; Travel and Leisure; People and Places; Relationships; Vocabulary Lesson; Article Based; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old
Publication date: 09/07/2025

In this updated lesson plan, students define both specific and general vocabulary related to religions, read a book review and listen to an interview with the author. They examine how and why to use language that avoids stereotyping and over-generalizing and discuss relevant issues. An optional extension activity defines vocabulary related to people in different religions. The lesson theme is treated generally rather than personally, and students should show respect and tolerance in all their interactions. (by Stephanie Hirschman)

• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Host: Hello! I’m so excited to welcome Professor Gabrielle da Silva to our Book Talk podcast today, because I really enjoyed her book, Following a Faith. What I particularly loved were the examples you gave, Professor da Silva, like how many Muslim and Sikh babies are welcomed into the world with a special message whispered in their ear. What a lovely thought! Are there more examples of shared attitudes towards the human life cycle?
Professor Gabrielle da Silva: Of course. And as I’ve already mentioned some birth customs, I’d like to highlight some beliefs about death. I think most people know about the idea of birth and death and rebirth in Buddhism, and the ultimate aim of freeing yourself from this cycle. As the Buddha himself was raised in a Hindu community around two thousand five hundred years ago, it’s not surprising that we can see a direct connection between some of the beliefs held in these two faiths, including this one. However, it’s interesting that most Sikh people also hold these beliefs even though their movement was founded in the fifteenth century. The idea of death and rebirth has an extraordinarily long timeline in India.
Host: Interesting. And staying with the theme of the human life cycle, tell me more about the process of teenagers being recognized as adults.
Professor Gabrielle da Silva: Again, many religions organize celebrations that mark this transition between childhood and adulthood. I say celebrations, but I guess I really mean ceremonies, like the Jewish bar mitzvah for boys or, in some communities, bat mitzvah for girls, which usually occurs around the age of thirteen. Many Christian young people take part in a similar event, called a confirmation. In both traditions, we see these young people taking on responsibility for their own actions, following a period of instruction.
Host: I see. And what about any young people who may be questioning their religious commitment, even to the point of agnosticism?
Professor Gabrielle da Silva: During the period of instruction that I mentioned, there are generally opportunities for young people to explore their doubts and questions with their rabbi or priest. We tend to see this sort of thing quite a lot as young people become more mature.
Host: Let's move onto the topic of food. I really enjoyed reading about the holy month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims around the world, and its parallels with the Christian period of Lent, just before Easter.
Professor Gabrielle da Silva: Yes, yes, both involve fasting or going without something for a period of time in order to become closer to God. Most religions offer teachings on food and diet, but these can vary quite a bit. For example, both Buddhism and Hinduism always promote a vegetarian diet. However, this is for quite different reasons, as the aim is to practice non-violence and avoid causing suffering to any living thing – all life is sacred.
Host: Of course. And finally, I was struck by the ways different faiths worship at home.
Professor Gabrielle da Silva: This is quite a fascinating area, I agree. We find that home worship is central to many faiths. Saying prayers and conducting other rituals, like lighting the Friday night candles for lots of Jewish families at their weekly Shabbat meal, is one way to be sure that spiritual practices continue outside of synagogue. We also see some home-based religious practices that occur daily. For example, Hindu families set up a small shrine at home with items that awaken their five senses, where they can do puja every day. Daily prayers and acts of worship are pretty much universal. As I state in the book, most faiths are more alike than different.
Host: I’d love to talk more about that, but I’m afraid we’re out of time. Thank you so much, Professor da Silva. We’ll be back with more Book Talk next week when we’ll have...

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/religion. Accessed on September 10, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.

ESL WORKSHEET - Food and drink

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

EXPENSIVE TASTE

Updated Lesson

LinguaHouse

Sep. 8, 2025

Mixed Levels: Pre-intermediate (A2-B1) and Intermediate (B1-B2)
Type of language: General English
Tags: Food and Drink; Giving Opinions; Article Based; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old
Publication date: 09/08/2025

This updated lesson is based around food, and in particular the type that will cost you a lot of money. Students will first listen to someone talking about three really expensive restaurants and then read about some of the costly ingredients that are available to chefs. Throughout the lesson, students will be introduced to new and interesting vocabulary and there will be opportunities for them to personalize the vocabulary in discussion activities. (by Peter Clarkin)

CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L3).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Speaker: Expensive eateries from around the world. The price of fine dining.
If money was no object, what would you grab for dinner? The world of eating out is one in which we constantly have to wonder how much everything costs, we have to check the prices on the menu, and we have to see how deep our pockets are, but what if it didn’t have to be that way? What would you do if money wasn’t an issue, where would you go and what would you eat?
Perhaps the south of France is as good a place to start as any, and a place the super-rich love to call home, Monaco. Within this wealthy wonderland, you will discover that one of the places where billionaires love to stuff their faces is a restaurant called Le Louis XV.
Proudly showing off its three Michelin stars, the restaurant was opened by chef Alain Ducasse in 1987 and has been described as “one of the great French restaurants”. Frequent guests have suggested that €1000 is a reasonable price to pay for a meal for two, but that price can shoot up depending on which wine you go for. Some bottles are available for less than €100 but if you want to really splash the cash, then there are some that are priced at well over €3000.
Sushi has always had a reputation for being a little costly, and if you take a trip to the Big Apple and check out the prices you might need to pick your jaw up off the floor. Located in Manhattan, Masa is known all over the country due to TV appearances by its master chef Masa Takayama, and if you fancy having your dinner prepared by Chef Takayama himself, then it is going to cost you at least a grand, and that’s before you’ve looked at the drinks menu.
If eating alone sounds like your kind of thing then how about a single-table restaurant? The ultra-exclusive Ultraviolet in Shanghai opens up booking at midnight every night, but the table is usually gone within 20 seconds. A price for an evening at Ultraviolent starts at around $1000, but to be fair that does get you a 20-course meal. The food itself is highly experimental and it is all served in an underground bunker secretly located on the outskirts of the city.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/expensive-taste. Accessed on September 9, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.

ESL WORKSHEET - Visiting the dentist

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

AT THE DENTIST

LinguaHouse

Sep. 7, 2025

Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)
Type of language: General English
Tags: Visiting the Dentist; Medicine, Biology and Health; Health and Well-being; Medical Vocabulary; Situation Based; Vocabulary Lesson; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old
Publication date: 09/07/2025

In this updated lesson, students develop their skills and language in the context of visiting the dentist. To engage with the topic, the students discuss some general questions before identifying and practicing a range of subject-related vocabulary. They then listen to two people talking about a dental experience and complete comprehension questions. The students then focus on and practice the phrases used in the audio. There is a speaking task to consolidate the language and a word puzzle to review the vocabulary from the lesson. (by Victoria Aitken)

• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Speaker A: It must have been about six months ago. I woke up one morning with a dull throbbing pain in one of my back teeth. I gave my teeth a deep clean and hoped it would go away. It didn’t, and by the evening I was in excruciating pain. I called the dentist's office and booked an appointment for the next day. On my way, I started to feel anxious and fidgety because the thought of going to the dentist terrified me. I can’t stand the sounds, the smells and all the uncomfortable prodding. So, I sat in the chair with my goggles on while the dentist had a look. She told me that there was a cavity in my tooth and that I needed a filling. She did a quick X-ray to check there was no nerve damage and then injected a local anesthetic into my gum. Once it was numb, she cleaned the tooth and worked on the filling. It didn’t take too long and the appointment wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be.
Speaker B: About three months ago. I went to have my braces taken off. I had them on for over a year and couldn’t wait to be brace-free. When the dentist finished, he showed me the results in the mirror and I was gobsmacked. My teeth looked incredible and straight. It was worth all the pain and discomfort. I remember when I first had them fitted. They hurt so much and the brackets and wire felt strange against my lips and cheeks. Eating was also tricky as I kept getting things stuck in the wires. I also had to have adjustment appointments every month to check my teeth were moving in the right direction. Honestly, I did get used to wearing them, and after a while I barely noticed them but it was a great feeling to get them off. I was on cloud nine when I left the office.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/at-the-dentist. Accessed on September 9, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.