Idioms and expression
Homophones
Animals
What to do?
100

This idiom means you are caught in the act of doing something wrong.

Caught red-handed.

100

These two words sound the same: one is a fruit, and one means two items that go together.

pear and pair

100

Which massive marine mammal is known to have the loudest voice in the ocean?  

The sperm whale is the loudest marine mammal, producing powerful, rapid clicks for echolocation and communication that reach up to \(230\) decibels.

100

To quickly put out a small grease fire on your stove, you should reach for this common baking item instead of pouring water on it.

BAKING SODA

200

To keep someone informed about a situation or process.

Keep me in the loop.

The phrase originated from aviation and engineering terminology. It referred to the circular flow of information in feedback loops that pilots and engineers needed to monitor to maintain control and situational awareness.

200

One is what you do with flour to make dough, and the other means you require something.

knead and need

200

What is a group of crows collectively known as?

The term "murder of crows" likely has its origins in folklore and literature. Crows have long been associated with death, battlefields and the supernatural.

200

If you discover your chicken has been sitting in the temperature danger zone for 4 hours, this is exactly what you should do with it.

Throw the chicken away immediately. 

According to both Health Canada and the USDA, perishable foods like chicken cannot safely sit in the danger zone 40F -140F for more than two hours. Once it hits four hours, rapid bacterial growth makes it unsafe to eat, regardless of how you plan to cook it.

300

When the person we were just talking about showed up.

Speaking of the devil.Historically, the saying was rooted in the superstition that mentioning the devil would summon him.

300

These two words sound the same: one means not heavy, and the other means what you use to illuminate.

light and light

300

A baby kangaroo is called this.

Etymologists point out that the term may have originated from Aboriginal languages, where it is said to translate to "little animal".

300

If you suspect you've received a suspicious phishing email from an unknown sender, you should do this to protect your accounts.

delete it (or do not click any links)

400

What does "jump on the bandwagon" mean?

Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing.


Back to mid-19th-century America. During this period, traveling circuses featured a highly ornamented horse-drawn "bandwagon" that carried musicians to lead parades and draw attention to the show. 


400

One refers to the part of your body, and the other means to use something poorly.

waist and waste

400

Which mammals have black skin hidden underneath their thick white fur to absorb warmth?

Polar bears! Their transparent, hollow hairs scatter light to appear white for camouflage, while the jet-black skin underneath acts as an efficient solar collector to absorb and retain warmth in the freezing Arctic.

400

If you unexpectedly see a bear in the woods, you should avoid running and instead do this slowly to avoid looking like prey.

STOP AND BACK AWAY

If you see a bear, always stop, remain calm, and assess the situation.

If the bear is unaware of your presence:
 - move away quietly, watching for behaviour changes
 - do not startle the bear
 - make a wide detour and try to leave undetected, going back the way you came

500

What does "a storm in a teacup" mean?

A lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a small problem.


The phrase dates back to the 19th century, though similar concepts can be traced all the way back to ancient Roman writers like Cicero, who wrote about making "a tempest in a ladle" Ancient Rome: Cicero used it to mock a local politician for causing an exaggerated uproar over a trivial matter. 

500

One means to agree, especially in writing, and the other means climbing upward.

assent and ascent

500

Which MARINE venomous creature has the world's most toxic venom?


KNOW: They do not inhabit the coastal waters of Canada. They are strictly tropical creatures found primarily in the Indo-Pacific and off the coast of northern Australia.

On the BC coast, you will typically find the following:

  • Lion’s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata): Known for their large size and dense mass of tentacles, which can deliver a painful but rarely life-threatening sting.
  • Moon Jelly (Aurelia labiata): Translucent with four distinct horseshoe-shaped rings, they are essentially harmless to humans.
  • Fried Egg Jelly (Phacellophora camtschatica): Recognizable by the yellow-white center that resembles an egg yolk, also harmless.
500

To stop severe bleeding from a deep cut on an arm or leg, you should use a clean cloth and do this continuously for several minutes.

Apply direct pressure