Meaning of A CAN OF WORMS - A Really Short English Lesson with Subtitles

4,742 views ・ 2019-10-25

Bob's Short English Lessons


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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So a can of worms isn't actually a can filled with worms.
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Do you know what worms are?
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They're the little pink wriggly things
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that live in the soil.
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But in English, when we say something
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is like opening a can of worms,
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it means that we are starting something
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that is really complex,
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really confusing, maybe really difficult.
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Sometimes when you mention politics
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in a discussion with someone,
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it is like opening a can of worms.
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You have started talking about something
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that might cause you to argue.
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You have started having a conversation
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that is like opening a can of worms
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because it is so complex and difficult.
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The same thing can happen
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when you start a conversation with someone
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about their sports teams.
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It could be a real can of worms.
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It could be like opening a can of worms
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when you say that their sports team isn't very good.
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01:00
This is a lot different than a barrel of monkeys. (laughs)
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A barrel of monkeys, you know what monkeys are, right?
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They go, oo, oo, oo, and they live in zoos
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and out in the jungle.
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A barrel of monkeys is considered really, really fun.
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So if you say that someone
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is more fun than a barrel of monkeys
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or as fun as a barrel of monkeys,
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it means that they are a super fun person
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to hang around with.
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So again, can of worms, not a good thing.
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Barrel of monkeys, really good thing,
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and lots and lots of fun.
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I hope in your life you have more fun
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than a barrel of monkeys,
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and that you don't often have to open a can of worms.
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