English idioms and sayings on Newsweek and Ecomomists Magazines

[tieusu81]

Hi everybody,

At the moment, I read the Newsweek and the Economist magazines so often. My purpose is to improve my english skills like reading skill and writting skills.

But sometimes, I do not understand what sentences, idioms and sayings on those magazines mean. So I start a new threat in oder to ask for your help to explain me about the meaning of those sentences, phrases those I don't understand at all. Any answers or discussions could be big help not only for me but also other students who really want to learn good english.

To start, I have 2 sentences:

1. Is europe's job miracle for real? What does "for real" mean?
2. It is important to understand the nature of the miracle and whether it has legs? what does this means when it says: whether it has legs?

Thank you very much in advance.
:lol:

 

[buggles]

Hi everybody,

At the moment, I read the Newsweek and the Economist magazines so often. My purpose is to improve my english skills like reading skill and writting skills.

But sometimes, I do not understand what sentences, idioms and sayings on those magazines mean. So I start a new threat in oder to ask for your help to explain me about the meaning of those sentences, phrases those I don't understand at all. Any answers or discussions could be big help not only for me but also other students who really want to learn good english.

To start, I have 2 sentences:

1. Is europe's job miracle for real? What does "for real" mean?
2. It is important to understand the nature of the miracle and whether it has legs? what does this means when it says: whether it has legs?

Thank you very much in advance.
:lol:

Hi tieusu,

Welcome to UE.

1. "For real", as used here, is asking if the "miracle" is really happening or is it being blown out of proportion.

2. Asking whether "it has legs" is a way of saying will it continue?

buggles (not a teacher)

 

[tieusu81]

Thank buggles very much.

For the "for real", your explaination is the same as my guess. But for "it has legs", it is so funny to know what it means. ) It has legs so it can move or running, then it means it continue. :lol:

 

[buggles]

Thank buggles very much.

For the "for real", your explaination is the same as my guess. But for "it has legs", it is so funny to know what it means. ) It has legs so it can move or running, then it means it continue. :lol:

That's exactly it. If a newspaper story has legs, it means it will run and run.

If you read British tabloid newspapers, you'll see the story of Ashley and Cheryl Cole's relationship certainly has legs. :-D