Rebecca
Here, "back-up" means help or support, usually when something else doesn't work out as planned; a reserve. It can also be written as "backup." Ex: We have a back-up plan in case this one fails. Ex: I have a backup generator in case the power goes out.
01/26
1
What's he mean by "hurt in the right way?"
This is a bit of a joke. Dr. Doof here is implying that there is a "right" way to emotionally hurt someone, which he describes immediately after. You can understand it as the typically, preferred, or expected way to hurt someone. This is not an expression that is used, it's just a bit of humor added to the show. Indeed, any method used to hurt someone is wrong and cannot really be described as "right."
2
Why is "will be focused" used here? Why not just say "will focus"?
Great question! Actually, "will be increasingly focused on" and "will increasingly focus on" have the exact same meaning, they are simply different passive-voice ("be focused on") and active-voice ("will focus on") forms used to express the same idea. The main difference is that the active-voice form ("will focus on") is more forceful and direct! Ex: My project will focus on ways that AI can improve medical care. = My project will be focused on ways that AI can improve medical care.
3
What does B.C. stand for?
B.C. stands for "before Christ," meaning before the birth of Jesus Christ. B.C. is a way to indicate the time period. Ex: The first Olympic Games ever recorded was in 776 B.C. Ex: In 44 B.C. Brutus murdered Julius Cesar.
4
Is there a difference between 'meanwhile' and 'while'?
They both can mean two things are happening at the same time. However, the difference is that "meanwhile" is an adverb that usually starts a sentence and has a comma after it. Whereas in this context, "while" would be used as a conjunction. "While" also has a couple of other meanings, such as a period of time, during a time or action, or as a contrasting point. Ex: I was watching a show while Jen was making dinner. Ex: I was watching a show. Meanwhile, Jen was making dinner. Ex: It took her a while to arrive. => period of time
5
What does "set out" mean?
"Set out" is actually a phrasal verb. Here it is being used in an intransitive way to mean to start doing or working on something in order to achieve an aim. In this case the aim is to become an "attorney". Ex: When we set out on this project, we knew it would be difficult. Ex: They set out to build their own house.
Complete the expression with a quiz!
