A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms (习语), 1 my teacher said again and again that it was important.
One day, I 2 to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about 3 I was studying English, the foreigner shook his head, saying, "You don't say! You don't say!" I was 4. I thought, perhaps this was not a (n) 5 topic. Well, I'd6 change the topic. So I said to him, "Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? 7 the way, have you ever 8 there?"
"Certainly. Everyone back home will9 me if I leave China without seeing it. It is great!"
I said, "The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. It is a place of 10." But soon I was 11 again by his words, "12!" I couldn't help but 13, "Why did you ask me not to talk about it?"
"Well, I 14 ask you to do so," he answered, gently surprised.
I said, "Didn't you say 'You don't say'?"
Hearing this, the Englishman 15 to tears. He began to 16," 'You don't say!' actually means 'Really?' It is an 17 of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention to English18.
Then I knew I had made a fool of 19. Since then I have been more20 with idioms.
