Category 1: Character Sketches
Which idiom means “very stupid”?
Thick as two short planks = very stupid
A friend who listens sympathetically when you are upset is “a ______ to cry on”.
A shoulder to cry on = a person who gives you sympathy
“get married”
Tie the knot (SYN get hitched)
Your “own flesh and blood” are your ______.
relatives
Which idiom means “cry in an uncontrolled way and be unable to stop”?
Cry your eyes/heart out (informal)
Hannah rarely smiles or shows emotion, and her colleagues find her unfriendly. They describe her as ______.
A cold fish (disapproving) = a person who shows little emotion or seems unfriendly
Which is the odd one out?
A. push sb around
B. pick on sb
C. walk all over sb
D. lend sb a helping hand
D. A, B and C all describe treating someone badly or unfairly. Lend sb a helping hand = help them
“I’d give my right arm to see her again” means that the speaker ______.
I’d give my right arm to... = I would very much like to... It is an exaggeration, not a literal offer.
“There’s little love lost between them” means that ______.
they don’t like each other
Which idiom is a synonym of “at the end of your tether”?
A. on top of the world
B. at your wits’ end
C. on an even keel
D. dying for
B. Both mean having no patience or energy left to deal with a difficult situation.
A manager who “doesn’t suffer fools gladly” is most likely to be ______.
impatient with people she considers less intelligent
Not suffer fools gladly = not be polite or patient with people you think are less intelligent than you
When the other kids mocked Leo, Maya ______ him.
Stick up for sb = support or defend them
Jenna decided to ______ him after he forgot her birthday for the third year running.
Finish with sb = end a romantic relationship
If parents put their eldest daughter on a pedestal, they ______.
Put sb on a pedestal = admire someone so much that you do not see their faults
Which expression means “calm, with no sudden changes or disturbances”?
A. flare up
B. go off the deep end
C. on an even keel
D. rub sb up the wrong way
C. On an even keel. A and B involve sudden anger, and D means to annoy someone.
Which of these descriptions is NOT negative?
A. a nasty piece of work
B. the scum of the earth
C. a cold fish
D. a man of his word
D. A man/woman of his/her word = someone who always does what they have promised. A is unpleasant or dishonest, B is extremely unpleasant or evil, and C is unfriendly
Which idiom means “persuade someone to do what you want, often by being nice to them”?
Get round sb = persuade them, often by being nice
Why might a counsellor tell a couple not to “store things up”?
Unspoken resentments can grow into bigger problems later
Store sth up = do something that will make a problem worse in the future.
Complete the sentence: The grandparents lavished expensive gifts ______ their first grandson.
Lavish sth on sb = give a lot, often too much, of something to someone
“Dad had a go at me for coming home so late.” What did Dad do?
He criticised me angrily.
Have a go at sb (informal) = attack or criticise them.
Match the meanings. (1) Ben is mad as a hatter. (2) Ben is mad keen on Alice. (3) Ben was hopping mad.
A. 1 = very angry; 2 = crazy; 3 = very enthusiastic
B. 1 = crazy; 2 = very enthusiastic; 3 = very angry
C. 1 = very enthusiastic; 2 = very angry; 3 = crazy
D. 1 = very angry; 2 = very enthusiastic; 3 = crazy
B. Mad as a hatter = strange or crazy (SYN barking); mad keen on = likes very much; hopping mad = very angry.
A teenager shouts, “You always take me for granted!” What does she mean?
Take sb for granted = be so accustomed to someone that you don’t appreciate them
Which sentence is correct?
A. I’d far sooner staying single.
B. I’d far sooner be single.
C. I’d far sooner to be single.
D. I’d far sooner being single.
I’d far sooner be single.
I’d (far) sooner (= would much prefer) is followed by the bare infinitive, like would rather.
In which sentence does “on top of” have the same meaning as in “We live on top of each other”?
A. He gets a bonus on top of his salary.
B. Five of us share a tiny flat; we are living on top of each other.
C. She put the books on top of the cupboard.
D. On top of everything else, it started to rain.
B. Live on top of each other = live very close together, which often causes problems. A and D mean “in addition to”; C is literal.
Which pair of expressions are opposites?
A. wind sb up / cool sb down
B. flare up / go off the deep end
C. at the end of your tether / at your wits’ end
D. cry your eyes out / take it all in
A. Wind sb up = make them angry or upset; cool sb down = make them calmer.