Do you sometimes have a hard time understanding what Americans are
talking about among themselves? Do you want to know why? The answer is,
Americans are crazy about using slang. They tend to overdo it, though.
Otherwise, slang is fun to use. You should try it. And some slang is easy to
understand. For example, if someone is "off the hook," it means that he is
no longer in trouble. The "hook" is a fish hook. If a fish is on the hook,
of course, it is in trouble. If it is "off the hook,"then it is out of danger.
Didn't we tell you slang is fun? Besides, it should at least help you feel more
at home and not like a fish out of water when you speak to Americans.