Lights off for Earth Hour  Lights on landmarks worldwide were turned off or reduced from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on March 28, 2015, in observation of the annual Earth Hour event. The lights are turned out in order to draw attention to the need to protect and preserve the environment. Organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2016. 

It bugs me!

Marissa: I'm so annoyed by some of the people in my office. They really have bad manners!

Janis: Bad manners? Like what?

Marissa: Well, one guy who sits next to me listens to music on his earphones, and he always hums and sings to himself. It's impossible to concentrate on work when he does that. It really bugs me!

Explanation: When we say that something "bugs" us, we mean that it's really annoying, or that it irritates us, like a bug flying around someone's head.

bilateral

Patient: In order to treat my breast cancer, do I have to have one breast removed, or both breasts removed?

Cancer Specialist: The cancer has been detected in only one breast, so you can have a unilateral mastectomy plus radiation treatment. But there is a possibility of having a bilateral mastectomy as a preventive measure.

Explanation: The term "bilateral" means on both sides of the body, while "unilateral" means on one side of the body. The terms are easy to remember by just thinking that a unicycle has one wheel, while a bicycle has two wheels.

touch and go

Dear Marcus:

We signed the contract with our new clients, but the meeting was touch-and-go for three hours. I didn’t think we would succeed, but we finally convinced them to sign the paper.

Explanation:  The term “touch and go” comes from airplane pilot training, where pilots land and then take off without stopping, touching the runway and then going into the air again. It means that the situation is very dangerous and changing from moment to moment.