Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.
00:07
Feifei: Hello, and welcome to The English We Speak.
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I’m Feifei.
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00:11
Neil: And I’m Neil.
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Hey, do you know what, Feifei?
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I've had enough!
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Feifei: You've had enough? Enough of what?
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Neil: Trying to do all my washing.
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Feifei: Really? Is it that hard?
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Neil: It is. I just can't keep up with all the clothes
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I have to wash, dry and iron.
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It doesn't matter how much washing I do,
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I keep running out of clean clothes.
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Feifei: Yes I can see!
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Haven't you been wearing that shirt all week?
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So, what are you going to do?
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Neil: I don't know. I think I'll just throw in the towel.
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Feifei: Washing just one towel won't help
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– you can't wear that to work.
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Neil: That's not what I meant.
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'To throw in the towel' is a saying
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that means 'to admit defeat'.
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The phrase comes from boxing.
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If a boxer is being hit too much, and is losing the fight,
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sometimes his coach will throw a
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towel into the boxing ring to signal the fight is over.
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He's been defeated.
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01:00
Feifei: Got it!
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So, it means you've given up.
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You can't do it.
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And for you, it means no clean clothes!
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01:08
Let's hear some more examples of this phrase,
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shall we?
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Examples: I've tried my best
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but this job is just too hard
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– I'm afraid I'm going to have to throw in the towel
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and quit.
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I know the race is tough,
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but don't throw in the towel,
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keep going and you might actually win!
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I've been trying to learn Korean for years
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but I'm not making any progress
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so I guess it's time to throw in the towel.
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01:47
Feifei: This is The English We Speak,
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and Neil's mentioned he's 'throwing in the towel'
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which means he's 'admitting defeat'
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– giving up on doing his washing.
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01:57
You can't cope can you Neil?
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Neil: I have tried. There's just too much to do.
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02:02
Feifei: Maybe you've got too many clothes.
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But if you're not going to wash them,
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what are you going to wear?
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Neil: I've still got my nightclub gear I used to
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wear as a student – will that do?
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Feifei: I think you'd be better off just wearing a
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towel, Neil!
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02:17
Neil: Thanks for the fashion advice.
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I think my best option
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is just to take everything to the launderette.
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Feifei: Good idea. See you.
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02:23
Neil: Bye!
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