[00:00.00]Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. [00:22.67]A person's nose is important for breathing and smelling. [00:27.75]The nose is also used in many popular expressions. [00:33.44]Some people are able to lead other people by the nose. [00:38.83]For example, if a wife leads her husband by the nose, [00:42.53]she makes him do whatever she wants him to do. [00:46.62]Some people are said to be hard-nosed. [00:51.17]They will not change their opinions or positions on anything. [00:55.41]If someone is hard-nosed, chances are [00:58.19]he will never pay through the nose, [01:02.44]or pay too much money, for an object or service. [01:06.93]It is always helpful when people keep their nose [01:11.47]out of other people's business. They do not interfere. [01:17.20]The opposite of this is someone who noses around all the time. [01:22.94]This kind of person is interested in other people's private matters. [01:25.98]He is considered nosey. [01:32.17]Someone who keeps his nose to the grindstone works very hard. [01:38.19]This can help a worker keep his nose clean or stay out of trouble. [01:45.02]One unusual expression is that is no skin off my nose. [01:50.85]This means that a situation does not affect or concern me. [01:58.58]We also say that sometimes a person cuts off his nose to spite his face. [02:03.22]That is, he makes a situation worse for himself [02:06.45]by doing something foolish because he is angry. [02:11.53]More problems can develop if a person looks down his nose [02:13.88]at someone or something. [02:19.10]The person acts like something is unimportant or worthless. [02:24.17]This person might also turn up his nose at something [02:27.15]that he considers not good enough. [02:32.04]This person thinks he is better than everyone else. [02:35.30]He has his nose in the air. [02:41.73]In school, some students thumb their nose at their teacher. [02:46.82]They refuse to obey orders or do any work. [02:52.45]Maybe these students do not know the correct answers. [02:57.48]My mother always told me, if you study hard, [03:04.56]the answers should be right under your nose or easily seen. [03:09.74]I think we have explained the nose expressions. [03:16.42]What about ears? Well, I hope you are all ears [03:20.96]or very interested in hearing more expressions. [03:28.06]We might even put a bug in your ear [03:31.46]or give you an idea about something. [03:37.29]We also advise you to keep your ear to the ground. [03:42.08]This means to be interested in what is happening around you [03:44.48]and what people are thinking. [03:50.86]If you are a good person, you will lend an ear to your friends. [03:56.45]You will listen to them when they have a problem they need to talk about. [04:01.85]Our last expression is to play it by ear. [04:09.43]This has two meanings. One is to play a song on a musical instrument [04:14.62]by remembering the tune and not by reading the music. [04:20.15]Play it by ear also means to decide what to do [04:25.04]at the last minute instead of making detailed plans. [04:41.78]This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, [04:46.37]was written by Jill Moss. I'm Faith Lapidus.