                           ^Lesson HELP screen^

Each lesson contains ten idioms, and each idiom has its own screen.

Here's what the idiom screen shows you:

        * The idiom itself.
        * The number of definitions in IdioMagic for this idiom.
        * The definition of the idiom.
        * Whether the idiom is formal, informal, or slang in typical usage.
        * Two examples of the idiom as it might actually be used.
        * When appropriate, related idioms (antonyms or synonyms).
        * Additional notes about the idiom (if there's anything more worth
             saying about it).

     ~An idiom screen can display as many as three related idioms~, and you can
look at their respective screens directly by typing the number of the related
idiom you want to see.  IdioMagic categorizes related idioms as either
~antonyms~ (opposite in meaning) or ~synonyms~ (similar in meaning).

     ~Idiom is classified as formal, informal or slang~.  ~Formal~ language is
usually the most precise, and used when it is important to be taken seriously
and to make your meaning absolutely clear, as in an official report. ~Informal~
language is looser and less precise as formal language, but is acceptable in
most contexts, especially casual conversation.  At the other end of the
scale, ~slang~ is the language of the street--colorful, faddish, sometimes
disrespectful.  Slang is acceptable in most casual conversation, but should
be avoided in official writing.

Here's an example of a typical idiom screen: 

             ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
             ║    LEVEL 2          LESSON 1         IDIOM 2      ║
             ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

                     ┌────────┐
              IDIOM: │BARGE IN│
                     └────────┘
                      1 of 1 definition                      INFORMAL

                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
         DEFINITION: │ To show up at or enter (e.g., a home, a       │
                     │ party, a conversation) without invitation; to │
                     │ intrude oneself abruptly or rudely.           │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
            EXAMPLE: │ Sorry to barge in while you two are talking,  │
                     │ but can you tell me where the nearest fire    │
                     │ escape is located?                            │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
     RELATED IDIOMS: │ 1  BREAK IN                          SYNONYM  │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
                     │ 2  CUT IN                            SYNONYM  │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ PRESS [F1] OTHER EXAMPLE   [F2] VIEW NOTES  [F9] QUIT  [F10] HELP  ║
║       [1] - [2] VIEW RELATED IDIOMS      Any other key to continue ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

^[F1] OTHER EXAMPLE^  Each idiom screen provides two examples of the idiom
being used, but you have to hit the [F1] function key to see the second
sentence.  You can press [F1] as often as you like to switch back and forth
between the two examples.  

For BARGE IN, the second sentence is:

                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
            EXAMPLE: │ I don't like it when people barge in on my    │
                     │ private conversation.  Please go away!        │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

^[F2] VIEW NOTES^  If an idiom has notes, the notes will appear before the
related idioms are shown.  You can view them by hitting the [F2] function
key.  When you are finished viewing the notes, you can press any key to
continue.  IdioMagic will then hide the notes, and return to the above
screen.  You can view the notes again by pressing the [F2] key.  

For instance, here are the notes for the idiom in the above example:
                                                                     
   ┌────────────────────<<  About this idiom  >>─────────────────────┐
   │ When followed by a direct object, the preposition "on" is often │
   │ used. Thus, we "barge in on" something or someone.  (But we can │
   │ also "barge into" them if we like.)                             │
   │                                                                 │
   │ In its original sense, "barge" is a noun for a long, large,     │
   │ flat-bottomed kind of boat used to carry freight, and which has │
   │ no power of its own.  If one loses control of a barge, it can   │
   │ wander clumsily into places it doesn't belong.  When that       │
   │ happens, it barges into things--just what you might expect from │
   │ a barge.                                                        │
   └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

^VIEW RELATED IDIOMS^  You can view the idiom screen of a related idiom by
selecting the number of that idiom.  An idiom can have as many as 3 related
idioms.  In the above example, there are 2 related idioms:

                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
     RELATED IDIOMS: │ 1  BREAK IN                          SYNONYM  │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                     ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
                     │ 2  CUT IN                            SYNONYM  │
                     └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

If you press [1], IdioMagic will show the idiom screen for BREAK IN.  When you
are finished viewing the related idiom, hit any key to return to the screen of
the original idiom--in this case, BARGE IN.

^[F9] QUIT^  Hit this key to get out of the lesson screen and return to the
Main Menu.  If you are in the middle of a lesson, IdioMagic will not advance
the lesson number, so that if you return to the lesson screen you will be
returned to the same ten idioms.

^[F10] HELP^  To view this help screen.

^Any other key to continue^  If you press any other keys than the ones
just described, IdioMagic will show the idiom screen for the next idiom.