Hi this is Tutor Nick P this is Proverbs 123. The proverb today is when
the cat is away the mice will play. Okay. Let's take a look at the note here.
The proverb could also be rephrased so it means you could phrase it another way
with while instead of when. . So you could either say when the cat is away the mice
will play or while the cat is away the mice will play. So both are considered to
be acceptable. All right. Let's continue . The proverb basically means that if
someone in authority you know, a boss, supervisor, manager. Somebody like that.
He's not around to watch over the workers or the subordinates. Subordinates
you know, people that are below him or under him. They will do as they please.
You know, maybe they'll just you know, fool around, take it easy.
maybe not work as hard. That's what ... that's basically what the proverb means.
All right. Let's continue. Let's look at a couple of examples we have here . Example
number one. MR. Jones is the boss and he could go home earlier. Yeah. He's the boss
go home anytime he wants. But anytime he did that in the past, he feared and his
workers would slouch off. You know, just kind of take it easy.
Relax not work as hard you know, be be lazier. Basically, he believes in the
old proverb. When the cat is away the mice will play.
Yeah. So this is just how we might hear it used.
All right. Let's continue. Number two, Number two is an a/b part. So A says her teenage son
threw a wild party at our house while Jenny was on an overseas trip. So yeah.
Maybe Jenny's one of their co-workers. Maybe
she went overseas. I don't know maybe, maybe the parents went. Maybe the parents
went together. Or maybe , maybe Jenny's a single mother now. I don't know but she
trusted her son. She thought he will be okay. He could take care of himself.
But you know, little did she know that maybe while she was away. He was
throwing wild parties with his friends. You know at the house. So that's what we
mean. That's, that's the way it's used here. So B says I'm not surprised.
While the cat is away the mice will play. Yeah. So that's just how we will use it.
Okay. Anyway, I hope you got it . I hope it's clear. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.