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Fired
Max and Moon read an article about someone getting fired for cheating. Max imagines this person literally set on fire. Moon tells him being “fired” means to be dismissed from a job.
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Nick of Time
Max loses a race because another competitor passes the finish line in the “nick of time.” Max thinks Moon is referring to Nick, the race winner. What she really meant was Nick won just in time, at the last possible moment.
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All Greek to me
Moon is having a hard time with her math homework because her new class is harder than she thought. Moon tells Max that her homework is "all Greek to her," which means you don't understand something.
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Freelancer
Moon draws a cartoon for the school newspaper. She tells Max she is a “freelancer.” Max asks Moon what she means by “freelancer.” Moon tells Max a freelancer is a person who is self-employed and does contract work for anyone who pays them.
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Burst Your Bubble
Max is excited and proud to perform the first act at the school’s concert. Moon corrects him by saying that the first act isn’t the most important one, and that she’s sorry to burst his bubble, which means to suddenly ruin someone’s good...
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Hard Pill to Swallow
Max is excited about trading in a first edition baseball card, until Moon points out that it was just an old baseball card with a sticker on it. Moon tells Max that she knows it’s a hard pill to swallow, which means you have to be okay...
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Toss Up
Max and Moon are outside on the bleachers getting ready to watch a football game. They are talking about which team they think will win. Max thinks the green team will win, but Moon says it’ll be a real toss-up, which means there’s an...
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Last but not least
Max walks in on Moon practicing for a speech she will be delivering at school, and is upset that Moon only mentioned their parents at the end of the speech. Moon explains that "last but not least" means that the last thing is just as...
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Pull Out All the Stops
Max blows up balloons to get ready for his best friend's birthday. Max tells Moon he will also decorate the house and bake her a cake. Moon is impressed. She tells Max he's "pulling out all the stops" to make sure she has a good birthday.
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Back to Square One
Max tries to put back together his robot but can’t seem to figure out what to do next. Moon tells him he’s “back to square one,” which means he has returned to his original starting point.
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Boycott
Max reads a news article. The headline says “Boycott a success.” Max and Moon discuss the word “boycott” and the historical person for whom it’s named.
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Bite off More Than One Can Chew
When Moon goes to the kitchen, she finds Max looking very worried, preparing what looks like a very large meal. Max informs Moon that he’s making dinner for his entire class, which is ten times what he’s used to preparing. Moon says that...
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Zip Your Lip
Max and Moon are hanging around their lockers when their friend Margie walks by wearing a fuschia sweater. Max starts to loudly criticize the sweater, but Moon tells Max that even though he doesn’t like the sweater, he doesn’t have to be...
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Talk to the Hand
Moon is confused when she finds Max talking to his hand in the kitchen. Max was trying to get help for a test, when his classmate replied “talk to the hand”. Moon explains that it was a rude thing to say, as the phrase is used when...
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Up in Arms
Max misplaced his lunch money, and Moon finds him desperately going through his backpack trying to find it. Moon offers her help to find Max’s money, and says that there is no reason to be “up in arms” about it, which means to be very...
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Hard Pill to Swallow
Max is excited about trading in a first edition baseball card, until Moon points out that it was just an old baseball card with a sticker on it. Moon tells Max that she knows it's a hard pill to swallow, which means you have to be okay...
Next Animation Studio
Boycott
Max reads a news article. The headline says "Boycott a success." Max and Moon discuss the word "boycott" and the historical person for whom it's named.
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Go with the flow
Max is nervous about going to summer camp because he has never been before. Moon tries to reassure Max and tells him to "go with the flow," which means following the rest of the group and do what everyone else does.
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Keep It Up
Max holds a book above his head. Moon asks why he is studying this way. Max says it’s because she told him to “keep it up.” Max took it literally, when Moon only meant to encourage him to keep studying.
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A Little Bird Told Me
Max finds two movie tickets on his desk, so he asks Moon if he knows where the tickets came from. Moon replies that it was a gift from her because she heard that Max had a rough week, and that he also did well on his test. When Max asks...
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Achilles' Heel
Max is struggling with his math homework. Moon encourages Max and tells him that she knows that math is his "Achilles' heel", which means a weakness, a skill that isn't strong or something that makes you vulnerable.
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Cup of Joe
Max sees a shop called “Cup of Joe” and is excited to go inside to get ice cream. Moon explains that there won’t be any because “cup of joe” is another way to say cup of coffee.
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Potluck
Max and Moon want to have a dinner party, but they don’t have enough food in the house. Moon suggested they have a potluck, which is when everyone who comes the party brings their own food and it will all contribute to the meal.
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Win Hands Down
Max and Moon play chess. Max puts Moon’s king in checkmate. Moon is surprised at first but accepts defeat. She tells Max he “won hands down.”