Shakespeare Speaks :1واحد
the episodes
جلسه 3
Thomas Swann fixes a broken door at the theatre… and gives William Shakespeare a great idea for his new play! Pick up some useful expressions with dead, hammer and nail in this episode.
Session 3 score
0 / 20
- 0 / 5تمرین 1
- 0 / 4تمرین 2
- 0 / 5تمرین 3
- 0 / 6تمرین 4
Learn the language
Well done, Charles Dickens wrote the line "Old Marley was as dead as a doornail" in his novel A Christmas Carol!
To do
Now let's look at the meaning and use of as dead as a doornail. Listen to this extract of the animation to help you remember what the narrator said, and then do the quiz to check you understood.
به صدا گوش دهید و تمرین را کامل کنید
Narrator
We'll leave them there for now. The phrase as dead as a doornail was in common use in Shakespeare's day. It means the same today as it did back then: Dead. Very dead. Totally dead. It's a very well-known English expression - for example, novelist Charles Dickens used it to describe the character Marley in A Christmas Carol:
Clip 1
Old Marley was as dead as a doornail.
Narrator
These days we can use it for electrical gadgets that aren't working.
Clip 2
Oh no - I forgot to charge my phone. It's as dead as a doornail.
Now have a go at this quiz. Look at the transcript if you need extra help.
Can you 'nail' this quiz?!
4 Questions
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
The narrator tells us "The phrase 'as dead as a doornail' was in common use in Shakespeare's day. It means the same today as it did back then."Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
The narrator tells us that it means: Very dead. Totally dead.Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
In the second example in the audio, the lady uses it to talk about a phone.Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
A 'gadget' is a small device or machine.Question 1 of 4
True
False
Excellent!آفرین! نمره شماBad luck!:
Can you 'nail' this quiz?!
4 Questions
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
The narrator tells us "The phrase 'as dead as a doornail' was in common use in Shakespeare's day. It means the same today as it did back then."Question 1 of 4
Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
The narrator tells us that it means: Very dead. Totally dead.Question 2 of 4
Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
In the second example in the audio, the lady uses it to talk about a phone.Question 3 of 4
Help
تمرین
Are you ready to use as dead as a doornail? Do this true / false quiz to find out.
Hint
A 'gadget' is a small device or machine.Question 4 of 4
Excellent!آفرین! نمره شماBad luck!:
How did you do?
3-4 correct - well done: you've nailed this expression!
0-2 correct - oh dear! Have a look at the vocabulary box and try again.
Next
Make sure your English isn't as dead as a doornail: go to the next page to bring your language to life with more expressions with ‘dead’!
واژه های تازه این جلسه
For more great Shakespeare content visit our partner,The OU
For teachers:
lesson plan and worksheets for As dead as a doornail
Eight Vocabulary Activities for the classroom____________________
As dead as a doornail
Meaning
The phrase as dead as a doornail was in common use in Shakespeare's day. It means the same today as it did back then: Dead. Very dead. Totally dead.Example sentence
Old Marley was as as dead as a doornail. (Charles Dickens)Note
These days we can use as dead as a doornail for electrical gadgets that aren't working.Example sentence
Oh no - I forgot to charge my phone. It's as dead as a doornail.____________________
Extra vocabulary
to hit the nail on the head
to be exactly right
to hammer something home
to make certain something is understoodto nail it
to complete a task successfullydead easy
very easydead to the world
sleeping deeplydrop-dead gorgeous
very very attractivewouldn’t be seen dead...
I would never do that, (usually) because it would be too embarrassing.a dead ringer for...
looks very similar to...Over my dead body!
I will never let that happen!____________________
Find out more
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