Lesson 6

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be composed of = comprise; be made of

The class was composed of students from the US, Canada, and England.

Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.

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clean off = clear; take everything off

I think you need to clean off your windshield.

He cleaned off the shelf so that his new roommate could use it.

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come across = find by chance

I came across some old photographs at my 

parent's house.

A: Please check my homework.

B: Sure. If I come across any mistakes, I'll tell you.

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dress up = wear fancy clothes for a special occasion

Do I need to dress up for dinner at your parent's house?

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fall asleep = go to sleep

Now is not the time to fall asleep!

Don't fall asleep when you are driving!

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fill out = write all of the information needed on a 

form or application

Can you help me fill out this form? I don't understand it.

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in retrospect = looking back at the past

In retrospect, maybe the haircut wasn't such a good idea.

In retrospect, I should have studied harder in high school.

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on the whole = in general; all things considered

On the whole, I really enjoyed my trip to Canada.

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set out = leave; begin a journey

She packed everything in her car and set out for California.

A: Did Bob leave already?

B: Yeah, he set out early this morning.

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wait on = serve someone in a restaurant

A: Excuse me, no one has waited on us yet.

B: I am very sorry. I'll get a waiter right away.

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I go to college in Boston, but my parents now live in Florida. During the summer vacation, I went to visit them. I set out from downtown Boston by bus on Tuesday afternoon. Thursday night, I got off the bus in Florida. I had a lot of trouble falling asleep on the bus, so I was exhausted by the time I arrived at my parents' house. In retrospect, I probably should have just taken a plane to Florida.

After I was in Florida for a few days, I was well rested again. However, I soon got bored. My friends were all in Boston. I decided to get a job. I came across an advertisement for a job at a local restaurant. I filled out an application and got hired right away.

On the first day of work, I got up early and got ready. I didn't have to dress up for work, but I did have to wear a uniform. The restaurant made everyone wear a formal white shirt and black shorts. The staff was composed of high school and college students.

At first, there were no customers, but around noon, the restaurant got crowded. I waited on customers and helped clean off tables. On the whole, it was pretty easy work. It wasn't too busy but it wasn't too slow either.

As the lunch crowd started to leave, I stopped at a table where an old man and an old woman were sitting. As I was picking up their empty plates, the old man asked me, "Are you from the north?"

I said, "Yes, sir. I'm from Boston. I guess You could tell right away I was from the north, because of the way I speak."

"Oh no," the old woman said. "We have never seen legs as white as yours before."

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