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John Millen

'There is a fine line between fishing and just standing there looking like an idiot'
Steven Wright (1955 - ) - American writer and comedian
The production line
A line is a long thin mark between A and B. 
But what sort of lines are these?
1 a production line
a. a line of robots which put together car parts in an  assembly line  
b. a line of machines and workers in a factory which 
a product moves along while  it is being built or produced
2 the bottom line
a. the most important fact of a situation
b. a line that you draw at the bottom of a page  
3 a branch line
a. the height of the top branches of a tree
b. a railway line that goes from the main line to small  towns and countryside areas
4 a chat-up line
a. something that you say to someone you have just met and really like  
b. a greeting to the audience of a stage show  
5 a punch line
a. the most important line in an essay  
b. the final line of a joke - the line that gets the laugh
Match the lines
Match these useful phrases with their meanings
1 to drop somebody a line
2 to fall in line
3 to feed someone a line
4 to be in the line of fire
5 to fall hook, line and sinker for something
a. to do the same thing  everyone else is doing 
b. to completely believe something that someone tells you when it is really a lie
c. to write to someone
d. to disagree strongly with someone
e. to be one of the first people likely to be blamed, criticised or attacked  
f. to tell someone something that is not completely true
Which line?
1 My mum works on the (bottom line/production line) in a chocolate factory.
2 I (dropped him a line/fell hook, line and sinker) for all the lies he told me about not being married. 
3 You must (drop your grandma a line/fall in line with your grandma) and thank her for your birthday present.
4 The (branch line/bottom line) of our financial situation is we have no money  left in our bank account.
5 I thought the (chat-up line/punch line) of that last joke was very weak.
What are they saying?
What are these people telling you?
1 I'm in line for promotion.
a. I am being considered for promotion.
b. I am applying for promotion.  
2 My mistake has put my job on the line.
a. Everyone has forgotten my mistake.
b. I might lose my job because of the mistake I made.
3 I won't get a promotion if I step out of line.
a. I won't get a promotion if I don't do  what everyone else does.
b. I won't get a promotion if I am late all the time.
4 I'm going to take the line of least resistance.
a. I am going to do the thing that will be easiest for me.
b. I am going to do the thing that will make everyone notice me.
Answers:
May 19
Short cuts: 1. b, 2. a, 3. b, 4. a, 5. b, 6. b
Short adjectives: 1. b, 2. b, 3. a, 4. b, 5. a
1. short-lived, 2. short-tempered, 3. short and sweet, 4. short-staffed, 5. short-sighted
In short supply: 1. I'm short of, 2. are in short supply, 3. a short fuse, 4. taken short, 5. cut me short



A fine line