How the Lobster Lady Stays Active and Happy at 104
learn the ropes: to learn how to do a job or activity
Meet Virginia Oliver, a 104-year-old woman from Maine. They call her the “Lobster Lady” because she has been catching lobsters for almost 100 years!
Virginia started catching lobsters when she was just 8 years old. She learned the ropes from her father. Today, she works on the boat with her eighty-one-year-old son.
Virginia has some tips for a long and healthy life. She says it is important to stay active. She loves to eat lobster and other foods like chocolate and homemade doughnuts. Spending time in nature is also important. She loves being on the sea.
At 104, Virginia Oliver is full of life. She says, “I’m not going to retire. I’ll do this until I die.”
Sample sentences
1. When I started my new job, it took me a few weeks to learn the ropes, but now I feel confident.
2. The new employee was nervous at first, but with some help, he quickly learned the ropes.
3. The older students helped the freshmen learn the ropes during orientation week.
Origin
The expression “learn the ropes” comes from the days when sailors needed to know how to handle the ropes on a ship. New sailors had to practice and learn which rope did what to be able to sail the ship properly. Over time, this phrase started to mean learning how to do any new job or activity.
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Maine’s 104-year-old ‘Lobster Lady’ shares simple tips for a long life