Idioms that incorporate parts of the body ingeniously create vivid imagery, transforming abstract ideas into more tangible and relatable concepts. These expressions play a crucial role in enriching our everyday communication, making it more colorful and compelling. For those who are either learning or teaching English, acquiring a grasp of these body idioms can be immensely helpful.
Idioms are an integral part of any language, and English is no exception. These phrases, which cannot be understood literally, add color and nuance to our communication and often have a cultural or historical significance.
LESSON: VOCABULARY Topic: “Common Idioms in English” The answers and definitions of the idioms are written below the test. 1. After hours of debate, Sarah decided to bite the bullet and accept the challenging job offer. What does "bite the bullet" mean in this sentence? a) Avoid the situation b) Face a difficult decision bravely c) Complain about the situation d) Delay the decision 2. When John said he had won the lottery, we thought he was pulling our leg. What does "pulling (verb) our leg" mean in this sentence? a) Being honest b) Telling a joke or teasing c) Making a serious statement d) Asking for help 3. Emma was feeling under the weather and decided to stay home from work. What does "under the weather" mean in this sentence? a) Feeling sick b) Enjoying the weather c) Working hard d) Feeling happy 4. The instructions were a piece of cake, so I finished the task quickly. What does "piece of cake" mean in this sentence? a) Very easy b) Very difficult c) Uninteresting d) Confusing 5. Let's cut to the chase and discuss the main issue at hand. What does "cut to the chase" mean in this sentence? a) Avoid the topic b) Talk about irrelevant things c) Get to the point quickly d) Take a break 6. It’s time to hit the books if you want to pass your exams. What does "hit the books" mean in this sentence? a) Close your books b) Study hard c) Go to the library d) Write a report 7. Don't worry about Tim; he's just barking up the wrong tree. What does "barking up the wrong tree" mean in this sentence? a) Seeking help b) Making a lot of noise c) Looking in the wrong place d) Being very successful 8. When the project deadline was extended, it was like a blessing in disguise. What does "blessing in disguise" mean in this sentence? a) A surprising problem b) A hidden advantage c) An obvious benefit d) A terrible mistake 9. I tried to break the ice by telling a funny story at the beginning of the meeting. What does "break the ice" mean in this sentence? a) Calm down b) Create tension c) Start a conversation in a social setting d) Cause an argument 10. The final exam was a walk in the park compared to the midterm. What does "walk in the park" mean in this sentence? a) Extremely easy b) Very difficult c) Stressful d) Time-consuming 11. Despite the bad news, she kept a stiff upper lip and continued working. What does "kept a stiff upper lip" mean? a) She cried a lot b) She remained calm and did not show emotions c) She left the office d) She argued with her boss 12. When he finally got the promotion, he was on cloud nine. What does "on cloud nine" mean? a) He was very happy b) He was confused c) He was nervous d) He was angry 13. The new manager is learning the ropes quickly. What does "learning the ropes" mean? a) Learning how to climb b) Understanding the basics c) Making mistakes d) Giving up 14. Don't worry, this project will be finished in no time. What does "in no time" mean? a) Never b) Very soon c) After a long time d) Slowly 15. When they offered him the new job, he jumped at the chance. What does "jumped at the chance" mean? a) He hesitated b) He refused c) He eagerly accepted d) He thought about it for a long time 16. After months of saving, they finally made ends meet. What does "made ends meet" mean? a) They borrowed money b) They paid off all their debts c) They managed to cover their expenses d) They invested in stocks 17. The presentation went off without a hitch. What does "without a hitch" mean? a) With many problems b) With some delays c) With no problems d) With extra effort 18. When he heard the unexpected news, he was caught off guard. What does "caught off guard" mean? a) He was very tired b) He was prepared c) He was surprised d) He was angry 19. She worked hard to get ahead in her career. What does "get ahead" mean? a) To move forward physically b) To advance or succeed c) To make mistakes d) To help others 20. I’m sure everything will turn out fine in the end. What does "turn out" mean? a) To go bad b) To result in a particular way c) To leave d) To start over 21. After the manager's strict warning, John decided to toe the line and follow the company rules. What does "toe the line" mean in this sentence? a) Ignore the rules b) Follow the rules strictly c) Create new rules d) Criticize the rules 22. Even though the project was behind schedule, the team decided to burn the midnight oil to meet the deadline. What does "burn the midnight oil" mean in this sentence? a) Work late into the night b) Waste time c) Take a break d) Finish early 23. When Jane heard about the sudden promotion, she was over the moon with excitement. What does "over the moon" mean in this sentence? a) Annoyed b) Indifferent c) Extremely happy d) Confused 24. The new policy was introduced to separate the wheat from the chaff in the hiring process. What does "separate the wheat from the chaff" mean in this sentence? a) Hire more employees b) Remove the less useful parts c) Create a new process d) Increase the workload 25. Despite the heavy rain, the team decided to go ahead with the event as planned, thinking they would cross that bridge when they came to it. (or: cross the bridge when one gets there) What does "cross that bridge when they came to it" mean in this sentence? a) Plan for the future b) Worry about problems when they arise c) Cancel the event d) Solve the problem immediately 26. Tom decided to let the cat out of the bag and reveal the surprise party plans to everyone. What does "let the cat out of the bag" mean in this sentence? a) Keep a secret b) Reveal a secret c) Ignore the situation d) Create a plan 27. During the meeting, Susan played devil's advocate to challenge the team's ideas and ensure they considered all perspectives. What does "play devil's advocate" mean in this sentence? a) Support the main idea b) Challenge the ideas for the sake of argument c) Avoid giving an opinion d) Agree with everyone 28. The new employee hit the ground running, impressing everyone with his quick adaptation to the job. What does "hit the ground running" mean in this sentence? a) Start slowly b) Begin energetically and effectively c) Avoid responsibility d) Work cautiously 29. Even though she didn't feel well, Lisa decided to keep her chin up and continue with her daily activities. What does "keep her chin up" mean in this sentence? a) Complain about her situation b) Give up c) Remain cheerful and optimistic d) Rest at home 30. Michael knew he was skating on thin ice by not submitting his report on time, but he took the risk anyway. What does "skating on thin ice" mean in this sentence? a) Being very careful b) Taking a serious risk c) Enjoying a safe situation d) Avoiding danger - - - - - - - ANSWERS 1. B 2. B 3. A 4. A 5. C 6. B 7. C 8. B 9. C 10. A 11. B 12. A 13. B 14. B 15. C 16. C 17. C 18. C 19. B 20. B 21. B 22. A 23. C 24. B 25. B 26. B 27. B 28. B 29. C 30. B Definitions bite (verb) the bullet - To endure a painful or otherwise unpleasant situation that is unavoidable. pull (verb) our leg - To tease or joke with someone. under the weather - Feeling ill or unwell. a piece of cake - Something that is very easy to do. cut (verb) to the chase - To get to the point without wasting time. hit (verb) the books - To study hard. bark up the wrong tree - To make a wrong assumption about something. a blessing in disguise - Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good. break (verb) the ice - To initiate conversation in a social setting. a walk in the park - Something that is very easy to do. keep (verb) a stiff upper lip - To remain resolute and unemotional in the face of adversity. on cloud nine - Extremely happy. Learn (verb) the ropes - To learn how to do a particular job or task. in no time - Very quickly. jump (verb) at the chance - To seize an opportunity eagerly. make (verb) ends meet - To have enough money to cover expenses. without a hitch - Without any problems or difficulties. be caught off guard - To be surprised by something unexpected. get ahead - To make progress, especially in one's career. turn out - To result in a particular way. toe (verb) the line = Follow the rules or standards strictly. burn (verb) the midnight oil = Work late into the night. be over the moon = Extremely happy or pleased. separate (verb) the wheat from the chaff = Distinguish the valuable from the worthless. cross (verb) that bridge when (one) get(s) there = Deal with a problem only when it arises/happens. let (verb) the cat out of the bag = Reveal a secret. play (verb) devil's advocate = Argue against something for the sake of debate. hit (verb) the ground running = Start something and proceed quickly and effectively. keep (verb) her chin up = Stay cheerful and optimistic. skate (verb) on thin ice = Taking a serious risk or being in a dangerous situation.
Idioms for everyday use introduces more than 230 common idioms. The hands-on worktext format helps individuals both to understand the idioms and to use them with confidence in their own communication. learners will eagerly follow the light-hearted stories-illustrated with cartoons that provide entertaining and instructive visual interest and will benefit from the variety of activities that will help them communicate natrurally using english idioms.
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