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There are hundreds of funny and strange expressions in the English language. A lot of them include country names or nationalities. Take these examples:

The Dutch（丹麥人）are the target of most English expressions about nationalities. Why are there so many jokes about the Dutch in English? And what do these expressions mean? In the 17th and early 18th centuries, there were three wars between the British and the Dutch, and Dutch became a bad word. So double Dutch means something that has no meaning or is impossible to understand. A Dutch uncle is someone who gives much stronger advice than they need to. There are later expressions, which are funnier and kinder, like to go Dutch, which is nowadays a popular expression. It means to pay for your part of a bill. This often happens when a group of friends have a meal together, and each person pays for the food they ate. I’m a Dutchman is another commonly used expression. This means not being able to believe something.

An expression with a similar meaning to double Dutch is it’s all Greek to me, which means I don’t understand. The expression was made famous in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar although the expression is actually hundreds of years older.

If you take French leave, you are not present or leave somewhere without permission. For example, you could take French leave from a classroom or the place where you work. This expression is from the 18th century when French people left parties without saying goodbye to the host or hostess.

There are Chinese whispers, which mean confused（令人困惑的）messages. This describes the fact that a message can often change as it is passed from person to person. This expression comes from the First World War when foreigners were often confused by Chinese language.

Many people find English expressions confusing, but now that you know about some of them, you can easily have fun finding out many more funny English expressions.

1.Are there many jokes about the Dutch in English?

2.When did Dutch become a bad word?

3.What does “French leave” mean?

4.Which three expressions mentioned above have similar meanings?

5.What do the funny and strange expressions in the passage have in common?

There are hundreds of funny and strange expressions in the English language. A lot of them include country names or nationalities. Take these examples:
The Dutch（丹麥人）are the target of most English expressions about nationalities. Why are there so many jokes about the Dutch in English? And what do these expressions mean? In the 17th and early 18th centuries, there were three wars between the British and the Dutch, and Dutch became a bad word. So double Dutch means something that has no meaning or is impossible to understand. A Dutch uncle is someone who gives much stronger advice than they need to. There are later expressions, which are funnier and kinder, like to go Dutch, which is nowadays a popular expression. It means to pay for your part of a bill. This often happens when a group of friends have a meal together, and each person pays for the food they ate. I’m a Dutchman is another commonly used expression. This means not being able to believe something.
An expression with a similar meaning to double Dutch is it’s all Greek to me, which means I don’t understand. The expression was made famous in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar although the expression is actually hundreds of years older.
If you take French leave, you are not present or leave somewhere without permission. For example, you could take French leave from a classroom or the place where you work. This expression is from the 18th century when French people left parties without saying goodbye to the host or hostess.
There are Chinese whispers, which mean confused（令人困惑的）messages. This describes the fact that a message can often change as it is passed from person to person. This expression comes from the First World War when foreigners were often confused by Chinese language.
Many people find English expressions confusing, but now that you know about some of them, you can easily have fun finding out many more funny English expressions.
【小題1】Are there many jokes about the Dutch in English?
【小題2】When did Dutch become a bad word?
【小題3】What does “French leave” mean?
【小題4】Which three expressions mentioned above have similar meanings?
【小題5】What do the funny and strange expressions in the passage have in common?

Topic: What do dreams mean?

Many people think dreams are full of messages that may not be clear to us common people. But if we think about what is going on in our lives, we can usually come up with an answer. Let’s look at some of the most common dreams. What do these dreams mean?

Falling

You’re falling, falling, falling… and then you wake up. This dream is said to mean you are afraid of something or worried about something. There may be something in your life that is out of control and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Another explanation is that you may fail in something. Maybe you’re not doing well in school or work.

Taking an exam  (or forgetting that you have one)

You suddenly realize you have to take an exam at that very moment. You might be running here and there to find your classroom. Experts say this dream may mean you’re being tested about something or maybe you are facing a challenge（挑戰）.

Flying

Dreaming that you are flying means you are on top of things. You are in control of the things that matter to you. It may also mean you have confidence in yourself and think no one and nothing can beat you.

Trying to run, but going nowhere

You’re trying to run, but either your legs won’t move or you simply aren’t going anywhere. Some experts think this dream means you’re trying to do too many things at once and can’t catch up or move forward.

In fact, unlike these dreams, there are also many strange dreams that experts may not be able to explain.