A

People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word  “mouth”. But some of

them are not so nice.

For example, people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person's feelings. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say WI really put my foot in my mouth this time.”

Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest MI did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth!”

Sometimes when one person is speaking, he says the same thing that his friend was going to say. When this happens, the friend might say “You took the words right out of my mouth!” Sometimes a person has a bad or unpleasant experience with another person. He might say that experience “left a bad taste in my mouth”.

Or the person might have had a very frightening experience, like being chased by an angry dog. He might say “I had my heart in my mouth”.

Some people live “from hand to mouth”. They are just opposite to those “born with a silver spoon in their mouths”.

OK, I have been running my mouth long enough and that’s all for today’s Words and Their Stories in VOA Special English. Tm Faith Lapidus. Do join us again next week.

21. Which of the following best matches the underlined sentence in paragraph 4?

A. Great minds think alike.          B. Sharp tools make good work.

C. Two heads are better than one.    D. Kill two birds with one stone.

22. When Jack was nearly scared to death by the sudden appearance of the fierce dog, he would

Say “_____________”.

A. I really put my foot in my mouth this time       B. Do not put words in my mouth

C. It left a bad taste in my mouth                 D. I had my heart in my mouth

23. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A. A magazine.      B. A radio program.

C. A TV series.      D. A newspaper column.