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Over The Top

The Modal Verb "Might"

Date: Dec 06 2011

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: Modal Verbs

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Intro

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It’s often possible to have too much of a good thing. Take, for instance, your favorite beverage. Whatever it is, if you pour too much in a glass, it will spill over the top and make a mess!
“Over the top” is an expression used to describe something that is too extreme in some way. If music is too loud, you can say it’s over the top. If someone you just met starts buying you flowers and calling you every day, you could say their behavior is over the top.

But being over the top is not always a bad thing. If you go to a concert and there are lights, fireworks and backup singers, you might walk out and happily say, “That was over the top!” And, of course, what is over the top to one person, may be perfectly reasonable to another. Devan recently got engaged. It’s time for her to choose a dress. But, as Marni finds out, Devan’s expectations may be a little over the top.

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Dialog

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Marni

Devan

Marni: This is so exciting. I can’t wait to see you try on dresses.

Devan: Yeah, I’m excited, too, but I’m kind of nervous. All the dresses in the window were so over the top.

Marni: Well, what do you mean?

Devan: They were all so big and pouffy and white.

Marni: Yeah, most wedding dresses are white. But I heard that they have a lot of different styles at this place. I’m sure you can find something that’s not too over the top.

Devan: OK, but I definitely don’t want sparkles. I hate sparkles. And I don’t want anything one-shouldered. But I don’t want anything strapless. And I don’t think I want sleeves either. I don’t want anything lacy. I don’t want anything Victorian. I don’t want anything too modern. I don’t want anything totally ‘80s…I don’t want it to have sequins. Marni? Hey! Are you sleeping?

Marni: No…I uh…It’s just that…I think your expectations might be a little over the top.

Devan: What? What do you mean?

Marni: Well, so far all I’ve heard is all the things that you don’t want. I mean, what about all the things that you do want in a dress? There has to be something here that you would like.

Devan: There is. Like…that!

Marni: That?

Devan: This one. I think this is it. I think I found my dress. I think it’s perfect.

Marni: Well, it’s definitely not over the top.

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Discussion

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Marni helps her friend Devan shop for a wedding dress. They are excited, but the dresses in the window make Devan a little nervous. She wants something simple and they all seem over the top.

Devan begins to list the things she doesn’t want in a dress. The list is so long that Marni falls asleep. When Devan wakes her up, Marni tells her that maybe her expectations are over the top.

But suddenly, Devan sees the perfect dress. She holds it up. It’s plain and white. Definitely not over the top. Do you like things that are over the top, or do you prefer simplicity?

Comments

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21 through 32 of 32
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sibby724

Taiwan

bravo!

friendlover

Turkey

I don’t like things are over the top too. But my behaviour is sometimes over the top. Especially about friendship. I can’t not decide what to buy as a present to my friends if it’s a very special day for them. Some presents can be over the top. I bought a neckless to one of my female friends, she was not my girl friend. Was this present over the top??

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Haa! as soon as I saw the title “Over the Top” I couldn’t stop thinking about “Toddlers & Tiaras” .I never watched the show personally, I just had the misfortune of catching a glimpse at one preview.This is sheer child abuse and utterly ‘over the top’. :(

‘Less is more’ is my lifetime motto, (paraphrasing Butta here ;) in a sense that I don’t go the extra mile unless I have to.However just like Mangojoy put it, I strive to get a grip of my emotional reactions; sometimes they are ‘over the top’ not in a violent way rather the opposite. they are at times too vague or numb.

Sometimes I cut onions at close range just to shed a tear. (this is a ‘over the top’ statement )

The Last Joke

Yemen

Sometimes I like things that are over the top, but always I prefer things that are very simple ” simplicity” !!

Beacuse

I only get a few number of minutes on this earth. If I could better manage my time and focus on my true Simplicity Goals. So , I could live in happy simple living.

marwa89

Syrian Arab Republic

i like things to be over the top,it is more special than simple things

Ryan2000

China

The great works of art are often simple;Beautiful clothes are often those without sparkles ,too much lace, pouffy ornamental… Anything has its limit.Keep limit nomatter what u are doing .

narges

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i’m totally same as Devan!!!!! i always find my stuffs hardly! i can’t find my fav ones coz i LOVE simple things which doesn’t have any sparkles on them, but most of people like these types of stuffs, i’ve been searching for 3 pairs of simple pants for several months!!!! i CAN’t find, all of them have sparkles or a lot of irony things on them which i don’t like them!! :’((((

jymary

China

Many grandparents love their grandson or granddaughter so much,and sometimes their love might be a little over the top.

mangojoy

United States

I prefer simplicity, although my behavior and emotional reactions have been over the top quite frequently recently.

wendywong123

Hong Kong

I don’t like things are over the top too, my wedding dress was no any sparkles things and with two lacy sleeves.

kenlin16

Taiwan

It’s hard for me to choose which one I prefer. It may be both depending on different situation. As the author has suggested, over the top is not always a bad thing. So I think I like things that are sometimes simple and at times over the top. One thing I like is to see a sic fiction move that is totally over the top beyond my imagination.