| [00:00.42] | Hi, I'm Jennifer and I'm on the lookout for Helen. Someone said they saw her going into the basement earlier. |
| [00:07.59] | Oh wait, there she is, with a tool kit? |
| [00:12.91] | What on earth are you doing? There are pipes all over the floor. |
| [00:17.42] | Oh hi Jen! I'm quite busy down here trying to fix these pipes. |
| [00:22.73] | Fix the pipes? But you're not a plumber, you don't know anything about pipes. |
| [00:27.29] | I know, but the boss asked me to try and fix them. |
| [00:30.41] | Really? Are you sure that's what he said? It seems strange he'd ask you to turn your hand to plumbing. |
| [00:36.31] | I knew you'd say that, so I printed off his email to show you. |
| [00:40.74] | Look, it says "About the project, someone has thrown a spanner into the works, and I'd like you to sort it out." |
| [00:49.60] | But Helen. |
| [00:50.56] | So I'm looking for the spanner in the works. |
| [00:53.60] | Oh Helen, you shouldn't take it literally. |
| [00:55.70] | In English, if someone throws a spanner into the works, it means they do something to spoil a plan or make it more complicated. |
| [01:03.58] | Oh, a spanner in the works. So there isn't a real spanner in here. |
| [01:09.53] | I don't think so. Let's hear some examples to help explain the phrase. |
| [01:14.19] | The budget cuts have thrown a real spanner in the works for the future of the project. |
| [01:18.94] | This hospital appointment on the 15th has thrown a real spanner in the works for our holiday. We'll have to come back early. |
| [01:27.50] | So this is a phrase we can use to describe something which has gone wrong. |
| [01:32.96] | The boss said that someone had thrown a spanner in the works of our project. |
| [01:37.71] | He means that something has happened that will make the project more complicated. |
| [01:42.19] | Perhaps you should talk to him to find out what the problem is before you start taking the building to pieces. |
| [01:48.52] | You're right. So I suppose we'd better clear up some of this mess. But I can't remember where all the pipes go. |
| [01:56.33] | Oh no. Well let's just try and fit them in as best we can. |
| [02:01.45] | Some time later. |
| [02:03.42] | Well the pipes are all in, but nothing's working. We're going to be in so much trouble. |
| [02:09.82] | We're not defeated yet. Stand back. |
| [02:13.28] | Helen, what are you doing with that huge spanner? |
| [02:17.11] | I'm throwing it into the works. It works. I did it. |
| [02:25.63] | You did, with a real life spanner in the works. |
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