Answers

EXERCISES

1. Burt Rutan is the man who designed and built SpaceShipOne.
2. False. Branson�s first space flight will be in three years.
3. Space tourists will have to undergo three days of flight training before going to space.
4. SpaceShipOne is unique because it is the first non-government-financed spaceship to travel to space.
5. The noun is orbit.

SPEAKEASY

1. In the nick of time.
2. Nick (v): to cut the surface of something slightly. However, if you used the infinitive form of the verb, you would be wrong as this usage needs the past participle, nicked.
3. Nick (v): to steal something. See answer 2 for the correct usage.

KARAOKE KORNER

-Can you catch the waiter�s eye?

This is an idiomatic use. To catch someone�s eye means to attract somebody�s attention. If you literally caught someone�s eye, it would have to have been removed and thrown at you.

-He was caught with his pants down.

This is also idiomatic unless the person really was caught with their pants around their ankles. It means to arrive or do something when somebody is not expecting it and not ready for it.

-Don�t get caught red-handed.

Got red hands? No? Then this is an idiom. Getting caught red-handed actually means to get caught in the act of doing something wrong or committing a crime.

-It�s a dumb idea; it won�t catch on.

This is a literal use because the phrasal verb catch on means to become popular or fashionable.

-Go ahead, I�ll catch up with you.

This is also literal as catch up means to reach somebody who is ahead by going faster.