Vocabulary
Be
Study the following vocabulary.
A group of university students were studying for an exam together. They knew that they were in for a long and sleepless night; however even that was better than being up against the exam without preparation. By 1 in the morning, they were down to just one bottle of cola and some cookies, by 2 they were out of all of their snacks and drinks, and by 3 many were beginning to think that Chemistry was beyond them. They knew that cheating was against school rules, and they were above that sort of behavior anyway. But, as the exam approached and they realized that they were so far behind in their studying, it became clear that theywere out of options…
be above – to have a better or higher standard
Aren’t you above such childish behavior?
be against – to oppose
Driving without seatbelts is against the law in the United States.
be behind – to be late or slow
If you are behind in paying your bills, you should contact the bank to discuss your situation.
be beyond – to go further than is allowed or expected
The doctor said that the soldier was beyond medical help and he would die.
be down to – to have only a little of something left
I was down to my last piece of bread, when I finally found a job and began earning some money.
be in for – to be able to expect (often something negative)
I looked up and saw the dark clouds in the sky, and I knew that we were in for some bad weather.
be in on – to share or take a leading part in
The little girl was upset because her older brother did not want her to be in on his plans with his friends.
be out of – to lack
I was very disappointed when I got to the restaurant and they were out of my favorite food.
be up against – be opposed by, have trouble dealing with
We are up against some very tough competition this year, so we have to work even harder than last year.
be up for – to be considered for, to be free for
Which politicians are up for re-election this year?