Please help me with some sentences

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Gloria Huang - 29 Jan 2004 12:11 GMT

Hi everyone,
I have questions again. A few sentences in a conversation. I think
it's because I'm not familiar with those expressions. Please help me.
Thank you in advance.

My problem is with "Defense rests tomorrow", "Don't take up poker.
You lie like a nun", "the case is getting to me".

The conversation goes like this:

AMY:    Hey.

GRETA:    Hi, Amy.

AMY:    Visiting hours are over, but I'm afraid I used my clout and said
I was on official business.

GRETA:    How's it going?

AMY:    Oh, please, I don't wanna talk about me.

GRETA:    Too bad. I do.

AMY:    Um, it's, it's going well, I think. Defense rests tomorrow.

GRETA:    I look that good, huh?

AMY:    No, no, no. I just wanna see you back in court.

GRETA:    Yeah, me, too. You know, I'm the one who's supposed to be
scared here.

AMY:    I'm not scared.

GRETA:    Don't take up poker. You lie like a nun.

AMY:    No, the case is getting to me, I guess. I keep looking over at
Josh Spellman's parents like how could you not have known? And on the
other hand, the Harpers thinking that money is gonna make up for the
loss of their child. I don't think I'm being very objective.

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John Ings - 29 Jan 2004 12:19 GMT

>My problem is with "Defense rests tomorrow",

In the course of a trial, when either the prosecution or the defence
has said all they intend to say, they tell the judge that "the defence
rests its case" or "the prosecution rests its case". When both sides
have 'rested' the judge sends the jury out to deliberate.

>"Don't take up poker. You lie like a nun",

Nuns are never supposed to tell lies, and therefor aren't very good at
it. She's telling Amy she's a poor liar.

>"the case is getting to me".

She's finding the case emotionally trying.

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Gloria Huang - 30 Jan 2004 00:18 GMT

> >My problem is with "Defense rests tomorrow",
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> She's finding the case emotionally trying.

I see. Thank you, John. But how about "don't take up poker"?

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John Ings - 30 Jan 2004 01:34 GMT

>> >"Don't take up poker. You lie like a nun",
>>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>I see. Thank you, John. But how about "don't take up poker"?

Playing poker well involves lying in the form of bluffing. Pretending
to have better cards than you really do, or pretending to have a poor
hand when you really have a good one. Someone who has difficulty lying
well, who gives away what she's thinking by her expression or behavior
makes a poor poker player. Opponents are liable to detect what sort of
cards she holds and either bet or not bet accordingly.

In English you may hear the expression 'poker faced' with reference to
someone who neither smiles nor frowns but always maintains a blank
expression. Perhaps you've seen the silent movie comedian Buster
Keaton? http://www.cinepad.com/busterk.htm That's a poker face.

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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / January 2004

Please help me with some sentences