American Culture and Idioms Books
- If your manager says you are as sharp as a tack, should you be offended or pleased?
- If your coworkers comment that your presentation kept them glued to their seats, is it a compliment or a criticism?
- If the vice president says the development team should fish or cut bait, what is the message?
Answers at the bottom of this page.
Americans in business rely upon idioms and cultural references whenever they speak. Such expressions add color, vitality, and humor to their speech, and convey subtle meaning in ways not possible through formal language. The more you understand these expressions, the easier it is to participate in either fast-paced meetings or hallway conversations. And, knowing how to use idioms will make you a more engaging and influential presenter.
Our Stories for Learning Useful Business Idioms books make is easy to learn common English expressions by embedding them in entertaining fictional stories. The main characters are foreign-born professionals in the US who face adversity in their lives and careers.
Take the Bull by the Horns
— The Culture and Idioms
of the American Wild West
Stories for Learning Useful Business Idioms Volume 1:
Book
with free MP3 download
Price: $19.95
Purchase
on Amazon.com
Come along with John, a Chinese-born engineer working in Boston, as he attends a management training seminar on a dude ranch in Montana and lives his own Wild West adventure.
- Learn over 200 idioms and cultural expressions related to cowboys and the American Wild West, expressions that are used every day in business.
- Find the meaning of each idiom on the page where it appears in the story.
- Read additional sample sentences that use the idioms in a business context.
- Reference the handy Index of Idioms and Wild West phrases for quick review.
- Expand your knowledge with a list of resources for further study.
- Learn the correct intonation of idioms and phrases by listening to the story read by the author, Jolinda Osborne.
- 76-page book with illustrations and free downloadable audio in MP3.
Against All Odds
— The Culture and Idioms
of Risk-Taking in America
Stories for Learning Useful Business Idioms Volume 2:
Book
with free MP3 download
Price: $19.95 Purchase on Amazon.com
Travel along with Lucy, a Vietnamese refugee and now a high-tech engineer, on a business trip to Las Vegas where her personal and professional future are at risk and she is faced with life-changing choices.
- Learn over 160 idioms and cultural expressions borrowed from the world of gambling, and used in business today where risk-taking is fundamental.
- Find the meaning of each idiom on the page where it appears in the story.
- Read additional sample sentences that use the idioms in a business context.
- Reference the handy Index of idioms and risk-taking terminology for quick review.
- Expand your knowledge with a list of resources for further study.
- Learn the correct intonation of idioms and phrases by listening to the story read by the author, Jolinda Osborne.
- 76-page book with illustrations and free downloadable audio in MP3.
Touch all the Bases
— The Culture and Idioms
of America’s Pastime: Baseball
Stories for Learning Useful Business Idioms Volume 3:
Book
with free MP3 download
Price: $19.95
Purchase
on Amazon.com
Follow the exploits of Jey, an Indian-born research scientist, while
he juggles his promise to his son in Little League and his critical
deadline at work, learning about the game of baseball and American
sports idioms in the process.
- Learn over 180 idioms and cultural expressions related to baseball, expressions that are used every day in business.
- Find the meaning of each idiom on the page where it appears in the story.
- Read additional sample sentences that use the idioms in a business context.
- Reference the handy Index of idioms and baseball terminology for quick review.
- Expand your knowledge with a list of resources for further study.
- Learn the correct intonation of idioms and phrases by listening to the story read by the author, Jolinda Osborne.
- 78-page book with illustrations and free downloadable audio in MP3
Answers
Although you could look up such phrases in an idioms dictionary, our Stories
for Learning Useful Business Idioms help you learn faster and retain what you learn.
- Be pleased. Your manager is saying that you are smart, i.e. mentally sharp.
- Take their feedback as a compliment. This idiom means they were so interested in your presentation that they didn’t move at all.
- The VP is telling the team to get serious about their project (fish), or else give it up (cut the fishing line with the bait).
The format of a story and definitions on the same page makes it easy to learn new idioms. I learned about American culture and how so many phrases and idioms originated from the cowboys and the Wild West.
Yungsheng “Kevin” Zhang
Software Engineer
These are unique books and very
interesting to read. They are the best and the most fun
way to learn idioms because they're written in a story form. I also
learned about American culture. The sample sentences with the idioms
use modern, practical examples which are very useful for business
people like me.
Sam Sakthivel
Sr. Software Engineer