talking to a psychologist about how I feel I'm not good at delivering monologues of my problems, so I'll appreciate you to be more conversational. I'm trapped by my parents' expectation. The only sensible way out is ... ... is constantly on my mind. I can't get away from these thoughts. They haunt me. Doing something is all-consuming. I know it's the right decision to ... I'm afraid of my current life path. However, I'm excited about my plan for a change. Thank you for being a sounding board. Note: when communicating my problematic life situations with a psychologist, I'll be better off if I'm definite about what I say. Using modal verbs may be an intelligent way of writing academic essays, but seeing a psychologist is all about staying true to my perception of the reality. Whether I'm impartial or rational is not relevant. S/he will make a professional judgment eventually.

Is there a positive version of a "know-it-all"? Can I probably say "a walking encyclopedia"? Thanks.

Do "emotion" and "constipation" collocate? I've heard TV characters saying "emotionally constipated" or "emotional constipation", which indicates the inability to empathise with other people. Are these proper collocations? Can they mean differently? Thanks.

To complicate or not to complicate, that is the question Making a statement that uses more complicated vocabulary than it requires is not to be encouraged. Of course, it boosts the adrenaline of the speaker to say something fancy for the first time, but it makes it harder for the listener to maintain a cognitive flow. It takes conversations to know what is properly said and what is over the top. Here are a few examples of what I did wrong (x) and how I corrected myself (+) in this aspect. Let me know whether you agree or disagree. 1. The food is palatable. x The food is delicious. + The food tastes good. + 2. I had a peaceful slumber. x I had a good night's sleep. + I slept like a baby. + 3. It's glorious to be a teacher. x It's rewarding to be a teacher. + 4. I learnt it by iterative progress. x I learnt it by trial and error. +

How do you cope with challenges you face with speaking English?

Some correspondences between English and Chinese idiom [It's mind refreshing to see how idioms are similar/identical between languages. Some English collocations I recently read from various texts remind me of potentially corresponding Chinese idioms. I'm displaying and paraphrasing a few of such correspondences as follows, hoping to seek bilingual confirmation from native speakers of both languages. You're welcome to correct my work by all means.] 1. a last-ditch attempt 孤注一掷 = a trial for something not probable to succeed, under a time constraint or a pressing need to rectify a situation. 2. hear with open ears 洗耳恭听 = listen to another person with an open mind, not refusing challenges to one's own assumptions. 3. Through her child she may rise a little. 母凭子贵 = a mother's expectation that her wealth or social status may be elevated by the corresponding achievements of her child.

Can you name a few words of this sort?

e.g. “infinitesimal” means infinitely small, and it also sounds like “infinite” and “small” merging together. 

Any other English words that fit this pattern (excluding words with common prefixes and suffixes)? 

Giving definitions: a central technique When it comes to learning English at an intermediate level or above, I think giving definitions is the most essential skill that needs to be practised constantly. Giving definitions is similar to paraphrasing, but a clearer focus is on presenting details, so that a definition can be longer than paraphrased words. There is yet another major difference between the two techniques. You cannot paraphrase a word/phrase without knowing what it exactly means. In contrast, you may not know the exact word/phrase for a certain meaning, but you can try your best to give an accurate description (definition) of it. For example, I once tried to borrow a mechanical pencil, but I did not know the word for that particular type of pencil. Specifically, I was not sure about the adjective that is supposed to modify “pencil”. I tried some random adjective, “Can I borrow an automatic pencil?” The other person did not understand. Then I tried again, using a description, “Can I borrow a pencil … well, when you use it, you insert lead into it.” “You mean a mechanical pencil? Yes!” Having experienced many similar situations in which giving a definition gets my point across, I stopped being obsessed with memorising new words/phrases. Rather, I started to build the habit of defining something, both in speaking and in writing. Writing definitions can develop my capability of writing at greater length. Also, it can activate dormant vocabulary which I previously memorised but hardly ever used. I even started to write definitions for phrases that are not totally new to me. I hope this habit can take my English to a higher level soon.

Finding an English equivalent to a Chinese idiom. [illustrated in detail]