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Welcome to English in a Minute!
Cards are used to play games. And sometimes, cards involve predicting the future.
In the Cards
Speaker A: So, how was your ride on the famous Orient Express?
Speaker B: It was not in the cards for me to ride that train, Jonathan.
Speaker A: Uh-oh. What happened?
Speaker B: On the day of the trip, I got lost going to the train station. Then, I couldn’t find the right train platform. And then, someone stole my ticket!
Speaker A: Wow. You really were not meant to be on that train.
If something is “in the cards”, it is likely to happen for you. This phrase comes from predicting a person’s future using cards. You will aso hear people say “not in the cards” if something is not likely to happen.
*This article has been edited and reprinted from VOA Learning English with permission from Voice of America (VOA) for use in English language materials.
English 
日本語