The View From The Top

& Vocabulary Development: top

Idiom	Definition
breathe down one’s neck (verb)	too watch/supervise what someone is doing too closely
climb the corporate ladder (verb)	get a promotion at work
look up to someone (verb)	respect/admire someone
let down (verb/noun)	disappoint
tip of the iceberg (noun)	the small noticeable part of a much larger problem
see eye to eye (verb)	to agree with
down in the dumps (adjective)	feeling depressed/sad
jump to conclusions (verb)	to have an opinion or make an assessment before you have all the evidence
look down on someone (verb)	think of someone as inferior
over one’s head (adjective)	too difficult

1. jump to conclusions 2. down in the dumps 3. breathing down my neck 4. Answers will vary

$ Reading/Writing Exercise top

1. a 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. d 6. answers will vary 7. c 8. answers will vary

þ Grammar Exercise: top

Showing Possession

Exercise One Write the singular possessive and the plural possessive for each of the following words:

Exercise Two Join the nouns by using an apostrophe “s” or an “of phrase”.

1. the dog’s ears

2. the score of the hockey game

3. Nora and Robert’s grandchildren

4. Toronto’s weather

5. the front of the building

6. the person’s name who lives next door to you

7. the newspaper’s editor or the editor of the newspaper

8. N.A.F.T.A.’s report

Exercise Three Make the necessary corrections to the following sentences:

1. Her dress, like Anna’s, was purple. [double comparison….In the original sentence, you are comparing a dress to a person.]

2. Toronto’s weather is more temperate than Ottawa’s. [or ... “that of Ottawa” .... or “the weather in Ottawa.]

3. Jose and Yumi’s vacation was relaxing. [or Jose’s and Yumi’s vacations were relaxing.]

4. The leaf’s colour was stunning.

5. The style of the book was rather unusual.

U Generating Vocabulary top

[ A Group Speaking Activity ]

-answers will vary