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polar opposites

简体
polar opposites
截然不同

Date: Oct 11 2012

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

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“Dax and I are polar opposites.”

- Actress Kristen Bell talking about her fiance, Dax Shepard. (Us Weekly)

“达克斯 (Dax) 和我的个性截然不同。”

— 女演员克里斯汀·贝尔 (Kristen Bell) 谈论她的未婚夫达克斯·塞帕德 (Dax Shepard)。

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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complete opposites, total opposites

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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No two points on Earth could be further apart than its two poles, the North Pole and the South Pole. These are the northernmost and southernmost points on the globe. They lie in perfectly opposite positions from each other.

That is why when we say two things are polar opposites, we mean that they are nothing alike. They couldn’t be more different, or further apart from each other. They are exact opposites in every way.

So it might be surprising to hear the actress Kristen Bell say that her fiance is her polar opposite. Aren’t people in a relationship supposed to have things in common?

Often people who fall in love share a lot of the same personality traits and interests. But it is also said that opposites attract. This means that sometimes, people are attracted to what is different from them. Shy people like outgoing people. People who party all the time like quiet types who stay at home. Risk-takers like more cautious people. Two polar opposites sometimes make a perfect pair.

Who in your life is your polar opposite? Do you usually get along with people who are your polar opposite, or do you prefer to hang out with people who are similar to you? What kind of person would be your polar opposite?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“My sister and I are nothing alike. We are polar opposites.”

“Even though they are twins, in many ways they are polar opposites.”

“My mom and I are very similar, but my dad is my polar opposite.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

cubi1604 Completely different
by cubi1604
Julissita Totally different personalities.
by Julissita
Their habits- liking and disliking are different
by borashalini
Orchestra Completely different (like the Northern and Southern pole)
by Orchestra
liiana It means they don't have anything in common. Furthermore, they are different in many aspects, so they tend to argue about anything.
by liiana
dearpesar totally different
by dearpesar
Manu4 Too different.
by Manu4
dilek23 It means " world apart, different sides"
by dilek23
Ahshan absolutely different.
by Ahshan
Completely different.
by Mr. Learner
a2020 They are completely different.
by a2020
completely opposit, totaly different, at distant.
by bellaboo2422
FUN777 Extremely different.
by FUN777
 julito Different in most important aspects.
by julito

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Comments

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kimgigi

kimgigi

Peru

different ;)

04:17 AM May 04 2014 |

elisa9926

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i personaly like to comunicate with those who have a bright idea about every thing it doesnt matter whether they are my polar opposite or not.but it takes a great patiance to get along with stupid persons

05:30 PM Nov 01 2012 |

raisacorrea

Brazil

i don’t know who is my polar opposite, even living in a differentt way my husband and i have many things in common. also we share all things we have.

10:10 PM Oct 14 2012 |

DarknessLight

Germany

I have a cousin who’s a polar opposite to me, we have absolutely nothing in common.


I don’t really enjoy the company of people whom I have nothing in common with; because they mostly talk or do stuff that don’t really interest me, so I just have to sit there pretending to be amused by their conversations! . So I definitely prefer hanging out with people who are similar to me.


My polar opposite would have different interests than me, we would enjoy different types of things, whether it was music, movies or books and we can also have different qualities.

10:21 AM Oct 13 2012 |

natasha1616

Bangladesh

having too many dissimilarities or nothing in common

05:56 AM Oct 13 2012 |

tutorheatherSuper Member!

United States

I have loved reading all of your answers! The answers have been more detailed than usual and well thought out. Nice job, all.


I have to comment on the usage of one of my favorite words, used by dear Ola. 


She used the word gregarious, which is an adjective that describes a person who is extremely social and outgoing. A gregarious person enjoys the company of others as well as parties and other social events.


Gregarious people love to socialize. A gregarious person is extraverted (very social) as opposed to intraverted (less social, more solitary).  Extraverted and intraverted is an example of a polar opposite.


Gregarious is a word I love teaching to students because they enjoy having it in their vocabulary. Plus they rarely forget it! For people who have heard the men’s name, Greg, I tell students to picture a man who is acting silly at a party, laughing and dancing with a lampshade on his head! His name is Greg and he’s…gregarious!

Ahshan

Ahshan

China

it is always somebody is my polar opposite.

10:03 PM Oct 11 2012 |

dilek23

dilek23

Turkey

Oh my gosh, my hearth and my mind are polar opposites at times!!! They can’t sometimes get on well with one another. Hey, why are they worlds apart now and then? May they find a middle ground soon!!!

09:58 PM Oct 11 2012 |

knuschu

knuschu

Germany

As long as people respect the basic properties, like honesty, peaceful, respect for others etc. they are welcome. And – the more “others” the spicier the live – or? ;)


to a2020, me too ;) My brother is a polar opposite to me. He likes the Extreme, like mountaineering, can talk for hours or is sometimes distracted. I would never hang at a mountain, I am a more silence person and more organized. :)

09:23 PM Oct 11 2012 |

Irene Forever

Ukraine

Me thinks, I don’t have any polar opposites close to me.


 All people are different, and it’s great. We always have a chance to choose who to love, with whom to be on friendly terms or just communicate.


I’m not quite sure if the statement  that opposites attract  is totally true. I enjoy communication with people who are similar to me. As I understand, my opposite may be not the best example for me. I don’t want to absorb anything bad from another person. If I don’t like people, I stay away from them. Some people can bear bad attitude, or just homilies from the opposites who think themselves  better than you are. It’s not for me. I can accept differences of others but it the limit that suits me.


So  my conclusion is:  I prefer people of my inner world. They make me happy, and it’s the purpose of my life – to live happily.


 

08:04 PM Oct 11 2012 |

bellaboo2422

Pakistan


i always like to share some time with polor opposites because its a fun to know people with views contrary to you. we learn alot by the experience of get along with the people of different traits and its like monkey business some time;). its very true again that opposits attracts and if your life partner is your polor opposite then life is like an odyssey now. i usualy like to hang out with people who are similar to me because we can plan each and every thing all togather nicely. we can empathieze each other very well if we are alike. so its good to get along with both i think.

07:38 PM Oct 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

i do like the subject

05:36 PM Oct 11 2012 |

Lubomusl

Lubomusl

Russian Federation

All my friends are my polar opposite.I like talking with people who has polar opposite thoughts about life.Their thoughts and senses are supplemented my life new colours.

05:04 PM Oct 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

goodrich

United States

polar opposites mean alike or different to each other


 

04:37 PM Oct 11 2012 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Well as they say opposites attract, but not for me. As for friends or significant other, I prefer – gregarious, empathetic, honest, optimistic, sociable with a good sense of humor, kind, sensitive, loving, forgiving, easy-going individuals.


The total opposite to me are


Manipulative, egocentric, with no feeling of remorse, mocking, decieving, lying, arrogant, cocky, making you belive they’re “kind -hearted”, not altruistic, envious and with no EMPATHY and LOVE :((

03:26 PM Oct 11 2012 |

adson

adson

Russian Federation

me and my husband were almost polar opposites when we first met. Even astrology said so – but we met! adn we are still together, we have a child! That’s great. But now I have to confess we are not so much polar…we got something from each other.


I prefer to hang out with people who share my hobbies and interest. But for a change it is still amazing to get alog with my polar opposites. It’s challenging, I should say. One can see how far we can go in building good (or bad) relationships with extremely different people. Psyho experiments have always been fascinating for me.

02:39 PM Oct 11 2012 |

FUN777

FUN777

Egypt

Well, it’s so interesting to meet people who are your polar opposites, i think it’s gonna be kind of complete each other. For me i prefer to meet people who are more practical than me because i’m so sensetive, it would make some balance.

01:11 PM Oct 11 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Hi Lesya, I have been checking out  what would be for you your polar opposites  and I  


don´t fit well  in your list  ,,your requirements are not my  strong points ,then we are identical polars… heheheFrown

11:50 AM Oct 11 2012 |

alialbokheti

Yemen

too different in their habits

11:43 AM Oct 11 2012 |

Englishty

Englishty

Egypt

For me i definitely get along with people who are similar to me i think this is common  but on the other hand i can get along with people who are my polar opposites but only if they have an acceptable traits for me , for example, i’m the kind of people who love being optimistic and i believe there’s always hope and light at the end of the tunnel so obviously i can’t hang out with someone believes in the opposite and so on and besides some traits i don’t mind being with person different from me. 

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