This seminar for international students and postdocs is designed to help increase knowledge of US social and academic idioms, metaphors, proverbs, hyperbole, similes, abbreviations, onomatopoeia, and personification. This session is part one of four sessions which will be held on four consecutive weeks in November. Seminar attendees will leave the sessions with increased skill and comprehension of idioms and other language expressions commonly used in the United States.