by the skin of one's teeth: teeth don't have skin - if they did one can only imagine the skin would be incredibly thin - almost not there. We use this phrase when we only just manage to do something - almost failed. For instance, if you're jumping over a wide gap and you nearly fall in and only just make it to the other side - you've made it by the skin of your teeth.

learn the ropes: to learn how to do something or how something works - especially a household, office, factory. Often refers to set practice, rules, method. A new employee has to learn the ropes. You can also teach someone the ropes. It goes back to the days when there were no engine powered boats - sail boats have lots of ropes - like rigging going up the side - a new sailor would have to learn how to use all these ropes if he was going to sail the boat.

to fire someone: to dismiss someone from a job. I've been fired. I'm going to have to fire you.

call it quits: to give up, to quit.

A: "How are you finding the new job?"
B: "It's really hard, I'm not really qualified, I'm only just holding on by the skin of my teeth."
A: "It will get easier once you've learnt the ropes I should think."
B: "If they don't fire me before then. There's a lot to learn, it's a completely new computer system and everything moves so fast. I can hardly keep up."
A: "Perhaps it's a bit above you. You're still young - you can't be expected to do everything at once. I mean, you only graduated a few years ago - its not as if you can become an expert overnight is it? There's no shame in packing it all in if its making you unhappy."
B: "I don't want to admit defeat just yet. I'll give it a chance - and if I'm still not getting anywhere by January, I'll call it quits."

(Read by Lizi Hesling and Joshua Chin)