1 S\ CTION 1 Describing people 1 '2 S F G ľ I O N 1 Match the idioms on the left with the correct definitions on the right. 1 absent-minded 2 big-headed 3 brainy b c insincere, deceitful (e.g. agree when talking to someone but disagree behind their back) clever, intelligent insensitive to criticism; not easily offended 4 5 6 7 cheeky hot-headed nosy pig-headed 8 thick 9 thick-skinned 10 tight-fisted 11 two-faced 12 well off Write your answers here: d stupid, unintelligent e very forgetful; easily forgetting things f mean (with money) 9 rude, disrespectful (especially towards someone older, e.g. parents, teachers) h stubborn; unwilling to listen to advice i rich, wealthy J get angry quickly; tending to do things without thinking conceited, boastful, self-important inquisitive, curious about others 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 e Most nouUe r oint d n\ u hvpncn Noťci ho v purU of ^hc borj^ are often jsca in idioms to üescnbc pŕop'^ i fi-,v» h-<.(i, m-rici. Describing people 2 Match the idioms on the left with the correct definitions on the right. 1 down-at-heel 2 full of beans 3 heartless 4 hen-pecked 5 hot-blooded 6 laid back 7 light-fingered 8 long in the tooth 9 i skinny 10 stuck up 11 (a bit) thin on top 12 wet behind the ears Write your answers here: a r> c d e 11 g h HÉ very thin dishonest; likely to steal things dirty, poor, shabby, not well looked after old young and inexperienced proud, conceited, thinking you are better than others very emotional; passionate slightly bald (of a man) always being told what to do by his wife and afraid to disagree with her very relaxed; not seeming to be worried about anything cold and cruel very lively 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 c It is possible to tell the age of a horse by looking at its teeth. Also, the older the horse gets, the more its gums will recede and the longer its teeth will 1 Describing people 1 Match the idioms on the left with the correct definitions on the right. 1 absent-minded a insincere, deceitful (e.g. agree when talking to someone but disagree behind their back) 2 big-headed 3 brainy 4 cheeky 5 hot-headed 6 nosy 7 pig-headed 8 thick 9 thick-skinned 10 tight-fisted 11 : two-faced 12 well off b clever, intelligent c insensitive to criticism; not easily offended d stupid, unintelligent e very forgetful; easily forgetting things f mean (with money) 9 rude, disrespectful (especially towards someone older, e.g. parents, teachers) h ! stubborn; unwilling to listen to advice i rich, wealthy j get angry quickly; tending to do things without thinking k conceited, boastful, self-important inquisitive, curious about others Describing people 2 Match the idioms on the left with the correct definitions on the right. 1 2 3 4 5 6 down-at-heel full of beans heartless hen-pecked hot-blooded laid back 7 light-fingered 8 long in the tooth 9 skinny 10 stuck up 11 (a bit) thin on top 12 wet behind the ears a very thin b dishonest; likely to steal things c dirty, poor, shabby, not well looked after d old e young and inexperienced f proud, conceited, thinking you are better than others very emotional; passionate slightly bald (of a man) always being told what to do by his wife and afraid to disagree with her j very relaxed; not seeming to be worried about anything k cold and cruel I very lively Write your answers here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 e Write your answers here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 c Most double adjectives are joined by a hyphen. Notice how parts of the It is possible to tell the age of a horse by looking at its teeth. Also, the older the horse gets, the more its gums will recede and the longer its teeth will 3 SECTION 1 Describing moods, states and feelings Fill in the missing idioms in the sentences below. To help you there is an explanation of the missing idioms after each sentence. Choose from the following: bedridden broke broken-hearted dead beat down in the dumps hard of hearing ill at ease keyed up laid up off-colour on the dole peckish scared stiff tongue-tied 1 She was really down in the clumps when she didn't get that job at the BBC. She'd really set her heart on it. {depressed, unhappy) 2 He was very shy and always felt_when meeting new people, (awkward and uneasy) 3 My uncle has been_for nearly a year. To be honest, I don't think he'll ever work again, (unemployed, out of work) i for years, (too weak to leave 4 My aunt has been_ her bed) 5 Although he was a great actor, he sometimes got very __ when speaking to his fans, (found it hard to speak easily) 6 You haven't got anything to eat, have you, Sue? I'm feeling a bit _! (hungry) 7 Speak up! I'm a bit. 8 I'm_ ! (deaf) at the moment, Kevin. You couldn't lend me £20 until the weekend, could you? (without money) SECTION 1 9 Are you all right, James? You look a bit. (unwell, ill) 10 My sister was when her boyfriend finished with her. (very sad) for a month after his car accident, (in 11 He was_ bed) . 12 > After spending the whole day walking around the shops in London, we were_. (exhausted) 13 I always get a bit_before making a speech in public, (worried and nervous) 14 I'm__ of flying - especially taking-off and landing, (terrified, really frightened) Although both down in the dumps and broken-hearted mean the person is very sad and depressed, broken-hearted usually means you are very sad because someone you love has died or left you. Both bedridden and laid up mean you are in bed through illness, etc. but E bedridden is more permanent and is often associated with someone being- *-*l~ii'^-inij^r>lK i Ml or..i/An/ r\\ri -------------- ------ - * 4 SFCT10N 1 f* Describing things A Complete the definitions below with a suitable idiom. Choose from the following: dog-eared eye-catching few and far bctwoon fishy frosty hair-raising long-winded second-hand whole-hearted If your visits to the cinema are very few and far between , this means you don't go there very often - your visits are very infrequent. 2 If something is a bit. 3 4 5 6 , then there is something not quite right about it. (You suspect that something is wrong.) If something is If you give someone your_ means you support them totally. , it is very frightening. _support, this . welcome is a very unfriendly one. _______ , it is usually boring and If a speech is__ goes on for too long. 7 If you buy something _________ means that it is not new. (Someone has owned it before.) 8 If a book is_ (e.g. a car), this _, the corners of the pages have been folded down,, usually because it has been read a lot. 9 An design is one that grabs your attention because it is attractive, unusual, etc. B Now complete the following sentences using five of the idioms already listed. 1 His lecture was very and at least half the students walked out before the end of it. 2 The prime minister got a very_ welcome when he visited a hospital in Liverpool two days after announcing health spending cuts. 3 \ You can tell lots of people have read this Harry Potter book. It's really_,____• 4 Since my parents moved to Wales, my visits to them have been very_• 5 There's something very__about this free offer. It's just too good to be true! It certainly was a hair-raising experience! When you are frightened, your hair sometimes stands on end, thus (hair-When v'ou lold tue noiner of a page in a tool', >t teu.i'.bles o docjs eai. 5 SECTION Adjective + noun combinations 1 SECTION >1 Choose the adjective (a, b, or c) which best completes each sentence. 1 I really must go and lie down for a while. I've got a splitting headache! a) cutting (b]) splitting c) ringing 2 No wonder your car won't start! Your battery's_. a) jammed b) empty c) flat 3 My uncle's always had a_ likes them. . spot for children. He really b) kind c) warm . escape this morning when a car almost hit a) soft 4 I had a_ me as I was cycling to work, a) near b) narrow c) close 5 It's a bit of a_statement to say that 'all Welsh people can sing' or 'all black people can dance'. I know lots who can't do either. a) sweeping b) general c) broad 6 I didn't like smoked salmon at first. For me it was an _.__ taste. Now I really love it. a) experienced b) original c) acquired 7 I don't think Simon will ever get married. He told me he's a _bachelor. a) decided b) confirmed c) complete 8 One of his_hates was people pushing in front of him at bus stops. a) main b) favourite c) pet 9 She had a very when she was angry. . tongue, and could be really sarcastic meal the tramp had had for several 10 It was the first_ days. a) compact b) round c) square 11 My son's always getting into trouble for fighting at school. I think that's because he has such a_temper. a) loud b) quick c) high 12 There's an_law in this club that you never borrow money from a fellow membeT. a) unspoken b) understood c) unwritten 13 'What does inevitable mean?' 'I haven't the_idea. Ask the teacher.' a) foggiest b) briefest c) smallest 14 The result of the election was a(n)_ conclusion. Everyone knew which party would win. a) obvious b) ready c) foregone 15 'I don't really want to be twenty-five again,' she said to her husband. 'It was just_thinking!' a) hopeful b) wishful c) playful Two other idioms that mean the same as a narrow escape are a close shave and a near miss. A hot-blooded person often has a quick temper. 6 Adjective + noun combinations 2 A Match the people on the left with the correct definitions on the right. 1 a backseat driver 2 a big shot 3 a blue-eyed boy 4 a dark horse 5 a fair-weather friend 6 i a general dogsbody 7 a live wire 8 an old hand 9 a marked man 10 a rough diamond 11 a smart aleck 12 a wet blanket c hi someone who stops being your friend when you are having problems or difficulties a person who is being watched by someone who wants to harm or kill them a dull or boring person who tries to spoil other people's fun a passenger in the back of a car who gives the driver unwanted advice on how to drive a person who has greater capabilities than he/she shows or that people are aware of an experienced person; someone who has done a job for a long time and is very good at it someone who has to do all the jobs no one wants to do a person who annoys everyone by claiming to know everything and trying to sound clever an important and influential person a very active and lively person a man who is liked and admired by someone in authority (e.g. his boss) someone who looks rather rude, rough and unfriendly but who is Write your answers here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 d B Look at the four drawings. Which idioms do they remind you of? Choose from those already listed. Another word for a big shot is a bigwig. The phrase a dark horse comes from horse racing. A dark horse was a fairly unknown horse whose abilities were kept secret until it came to the race track and, hopefully! won the race. A live wire is a reference to a wire which has a 'live' electric current running 7 S E G I ION i Adjective + noun combinations 3 Say whether the idioms in the following sentences are used correctly (true) or incorrectly (false). 1 We were late, so we took a short cut through the park. True False 2 A woman would probably be pleased if a man gave her a dirty look, and vice-versa. 3 Hobson's choice is no real choice at all. 4 j The two runners finished the race at the same time. It was a dead heat. 5 Most people would be too embarrassed to tell others that they had a plum job. 6 I hate tight spots, so I never get into lifts. I always use the stairs instead. 7 In Britain, when a couple have been married for fifty years, they are often given a golden handshake. 8 To get a job you need a permanent address, but to be able to rent a flat you need to have a job. It's a vicious circle. 9 Don't believe a word he says; it's just another of his tall stories. SECTION 1 10 Daniel is Catholic and his wife is Methodist so they went to the local church for a mixed blessing. 11 He can speak two languages fluently -he's double Dutch. 12 If something was a long shot, it might not have a great chance of succeeding. 13 A flying visit is a very short trip in an aeroplane. 14 Don't mention last year's Christmas party to Harry. It's a bit of a sore point with him. That's when he split up with his girlfriend. 15 I felt really pleased when she told me that she thought I had a fat chance of getting the job. True False The expression Hobson's choice refers to Tobias Hobson who lived in Cambridge during the sixteenth century. He owned a stable and used to hire out horses. However, he only allowed his customers to choose the horse nearest the stable door - the one that had run the least recently. So, in _X£___A _ _ J_l_ ^_ -_______.. J. 8 S L C T I O N 1 Adjective pairs i_.............. IllÄillMilSi Complete the paired idioms in the sentences below. Choose from the following adjectives: alive dried dry early easy fast less low sound spick square surely sweet thin tired void white worse 1 For better or worse , the mobile phone is now a normal part of people's lives. 2 He drove slowly but_. 3 She was beaten fair and _ . by her opponent in the first round at Wimbledon. 4 'How's your father these days?' 'Still_and kicking. He's living in Brighton now.' 5 Oh, thank goodness you're both safe and. so worried about you! . I was 6 They promised to stand by each other through thick and 7 He won't believe anything unless he actually sees it in black and 8 If we win next Saturday, we'll be home and. place in the next round of the Cup. for a 9 John's a farmer and has to get up bright and _ every morning. 1U The contract was declared null and _ the partners had forgotten to sign it. 11 Could you wait - I'm more or_ , as one of ready now. 12 He lived a very free and. life in the country. 1 ■ Natalia is sick and of hearing about how 'wonderful' and 'clever' her neighbour's children are! 14 The police have searched high and. for the missing teenager, Connie Brown. But they still haven't found any trace of her. 15 I'm afraid you'll have to wear a jacket, sir. It's a hard and _rule at the club. 16 The lecture was just how the students liked it - short and 17 The result of tomorrow's match is cut and. Zealand is bound to win. _, New 18 Her flat was so . and span that it looked more like a well-kept museum than a home. The word span comes from a very old Norse word that means a chip of 9 SECTION 1 Idioms using common adjectives 6 SECTION 1 Complete sentences 1-15 by choosing an ending from a-o. 1 Sally's not speaking to me. I ... 2 If you're applying for a job with my company, I'll ... 3 Since Tom Blake got that book of poems published, he's ... 4 Have I upset Emma in some way? I said hello to her and she just... 5 It's like flogging a dead horse trying to teach Richard to ... 6 Last year the Patel family decided to leave Britain for good and ... 7 I'm a bit hard up at the moment, so I ... 8 Of course Olaf likes you. He's just... 9 You'll be for the high jump when dad ... 10 You're nearly thirty now. Isn't it high time you ... 11 The politician got very hot under the collar when the journalist ... 12 Your son is very talented, Mrs Cappelli and ... 13 He got into hot water for ... 14 We had to cut our holiday short when my wife ... 15 Taxis in this town after midnight ... a finds out you've been smoking. You know how much he hates it! b use a computer. I don't think he'll ever learn! c using the office phone for private calls, d accused him of taking bribes, e try and put in a good word for you. f seem to be pretty thin on the ground. g cut me dead. h should go a long way. i playing hard to get, that's all! J must be in her bad books. k broke her leg on our first day on the ski slope. I settle in New Zealand, m become too big for his boots. n stopped living with your parents and got a flat of your own? o can't afford to go out with you tonight. Write your answers here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 The opposite of being in someone's bad books is to be in someone's good books. ' ^,^^'^"s^6i*^ir" To flog is to beat a person or animal with a whppFstick.-. If -the animal_is\ 1 Section 2: Idioms using nouns This section looks at the use of nouns as idioms. It starts with common nouns to describe people - either single nouns or compound nouns. These can be positive, e.g. a whizz kid (someone with lots of modern ideas, energy and enthusiasm and who achieves a lot while still young) or negative, e.g. a busybody (someone who always wants to know about other people's private lives). There are idioms based on phrasal verbs, e.g. a break-in (burglary) and a tailback (long line of traffic), as well as fairly abstract single noun idioms, e.g. an eyesore (something ugly to look at) and a snag (a hidden problem or difficulty). Compound nouns are also examined, e.g. a busman's holiday (a holiday spent doing the same work as you would do in your job) and a stag party (an all-male party for someone getting married). There are also idioms based on noun phrases, e.g. a bolt from the blue (a sudden and unexpected event) and a flash in the pan (something that is suddenly popular but only lasts for a short while). This section ends by looking at pairs of nouns, e.g. flesh and blood (members of your own family) plus specific nouns used in idiomatic phrases - end, mind, point, line, word, way and time. Some examples are: be at a loose end (not have anything to do) drop someone a line (write a letter to someone) slip one's mind (forget) 11 SECTION 2 Types of people 1 Match the idioms on the left with the correct definitions on the right. 1 the apple of someone's eye 2 a bighead 3 a blackleg 4 a busybody 5 a chatterbox 6 a couch potato 7 a daredevil 8 a figurehead 9 a gatecrasher 10 a pain in the neck 11 a skeleton staff 12 a whizz kid Write your answers here: someone who spends a lot of time sitting and watching television someone who turns up at parties without being invited to them the minimum number of people that can run an office successfully a person who loves taking dangerous risks the person someone loves most and is very proud of (e.g. a grandchild) someone with lots of modern ideas, energy and enthusiasm and who achieves a lot while still young a person who talks a lot especially about things that are unimportant someone who continues to work when their fellow workers are on strike someone who is the leader of a country or organization, but in name only. He or she doesn't have any real power someone who always wants to know about other people's private lives someone who is very conceited, vain or boastful a person who is very annoying 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 e I tt ■n Is' 1 I. J Bighead comes from the adjective big-headed. To chatter means to talk quickly without stopping. A chat is an informal, friendly conversation. 1° _______________________________________.___ C- Types of people 2 Look at the drawings below. Find the following people: an early bird 2 a guinea pig _ a jailbird a killjoy _ a night owl _ a nosy parker a road hog _ a rolling stone _ a scapegoat a skinflint _ a troublemaker _ a white-collar worker ŠL I love getting up early in the morning. The boss needed someone to blame for all the mistakes, so I got the sack. It's well past midnight. Shouldn't you all be going home by now? I'm really glad I finally got a job in an office after working so many years in a factory. I've always found it hard to settle in one place for long. To hot .e-all of something. If you hog the road you drive so badly that you take up too;much space. Joy is.another word for 'fun' or 'happiness'. So if you kill someone's joy then you're'stopping them being happy. Office .workers in the UK traditionally wear a suit and a white shirt. People who do hard physical work where they often get dirty are called blue-collar _____________________A_____tlL_ SECTION 2 Nouns from phrasal verbs Complete the newspaper headlines below with a suitable idiom. Choose from the following and write the correct letter (a-o) in the gaps. a BREAKDOWN f HOLD-UP k OUTLOOK b BREAK-IN g KICK-OFF 1 SETBACK c COMEBACK h KNOCKOUT m TAILBACK d CUTBACKS i MIX-UP n TURNOVER e DOWNPOUR j OUTBREAK o WRITE-UP THIRD b IN PEACEFUL SURREY VILLAGE THIS MONTH (burglary) 2-MILE ON Ml AFTER MOTORWAY ACCIDENT (traffic that is moving slowly or not moving at all) SUDDEN OF LEAD SINGER CAUSES L BAND TO CANCEL BRITISH TOUR (medical condition where you are mentally ill and unable to cope with life) NEW LLOYD-WEBBER MUSICAL GETS GOOD _IN LONDON EVENING STANDARD (review) r HEAVY_RUINS FREE OPEN-AIR CONCERT IN HYDE PARK (rainfall) WEATHER FOR SUMMER IS NOT VERY PROMISING (forecast) 15 FAMOUS 80s BAND TO MAKE A (an attempt to become popular again) ROBBERS GET AWAY WITH £800,000 IN DARING_IN BROAD DAYLIGHT (robbery) / HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION LOSES BY A I IN THE FIRST ROUND I (by being hit so hard that you become unconscious) 10 HOSPITAL RECORDS CAUSES CHAOS (mistake that causes problems) IAoT| NEW GENERATION OF MOBILE PHONES 11 ) INCREASES FIRM'S_BY 200% (total income from sales) FA CUP DELAYED FOR 20 MINUTES 12 DUE TO DEMONSTRATION BY REFEREES (start of football match) r 13 GOVERNMENT THREATENS HEALTH SERVICE (reduced funding) 14 DOCTORS FEAR__ AFTER EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY (a cholera epidemic) OF CHOLERA TUNNEL PROJECT BETWEEN WALES AND IRELAND SUFFERS SERIOUS_ (delay in its progress) You can also have an outbreak of war, fighting or spots. You can also have a breakdown in your car - when your car stops because 4 <3 lotion 2. Single nouns Match the idioms on the left with the correct definitions on the right, a blackout e a best-seller something very unpleasant to look at (e.g. a building) a loud whistle or cry of disapproval (e.g. from an audience at a theatre or a crowd at a football match) a bottleneck c (of a country, organization) the time when they were most powerful, successful or popular a brainwave d a situation or event from which you learn something surprising or something that you did not know before a catcall a catnap an eye-opener an eyesore a gimmick f 9 h ■ a heyday a loophole a perk a sum of money that you get unexpectedly, such as winning the football pools or a lottery, etc. extra advantages on top of your regular salary (e.g. a company car, lunch vouchers) a book that sells in very large numbers; a successful book a short sleep in a chair (not in a bed) a small mistake in a law that makes it possible to avoid doing something that the law is supposed to make you do (e.g. a tax loophole) an electricity failure (when everything goes black) where the road narrows so that a traffic jam is quickly formed a difficulty or problem - often hidden or unexnected a snag m some sort of trick, device or unusual action whose purpose is to attract attention or publicity, usually when trying to sell something to people a windfall n a sudden clever thought or idea Write your answers here: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Look at the four drawings. Which idioms would you use to complete them? Choose from those already listed. "somf thing that is not \.ery ncc to look at can rrvike your e>y< s> ^er\ c ire hn 15 wmmSBmrn® Noun phrases 1 What do the following idioms mean? Choose the best alternative (a, b or c). 1 Our hotel was only a stone's throw from the beach. a) It was on the beach. b) It was a long way from the beach. (c5) It was close to the beach. 2 Have you been invited to Basil's stag party? a) an all-male party for someone getting married b) an eighteenth birthday party c) a party on someone's last day at work I'm having a busman's holiday this summer teaching English to a group of French students. a) a short holiday abroad b) a holiday spent doing the same work as you do in your job c) a holiday which also involves a lot of travelling To most people, a Rolls-Royce is still something of a status symbol. a) an unnecessary luxury b) a possession they hope to have one day c) a possession that shows others that you have money or position It was a dead-end job and she hated it. a) a very boring job b) a job without prospects c) a physically hard and dirty job It's typical of him to take all the credit when we're the ones who've done all the donkey work. a) all the work at the start of the project b) all the work without getting paid for it c) all the real hard work They phoned me up today and told me I've been put on the shortlist. a) the list of people waiting to go into hospital for an operation b) the list of the most suitable people for a job c) the list of people waiting for government housing You won't get your shoes clean like that. Use some elbow grease! a) put more effort into polishing your shoes b) use a special type of shoe polish c) use a very hard brush to polish your shoes We were late for work because we got stuck in a traffic jam. a) We were involved in a car accident. b) We got stuck in heavy snow. c) We were in a long line of cars which were moving very slowly. The bar they worked at in Spain paid them chicken feed. a) a small wage plus all they could eat b) gave them cash at the end of each day c) hardly any money at all Everyone should have a nest egg. You never know when you might need it. a) a life insurance policy b) an amount of money saved for future use c) a special place you can go to when you want to be alone Roberto wasn't very happy at work, but the last straw came when a much younger man was given promotion. a) he received the final insult b) the last in a series of unpleasant things that have happened to him at work c) he suffered a nervous breakdown section 2 I O Noun phrases 2 section 2 She had lots of teething problems in her new job, but things seem all right now. a) early difficulties b) problems of water seeping in c) staff problems If you want my opinion, learning to use the Internet is child's play. a) lots of fun b) very easy to do c) only for young people There was a big headline in today's paper: Minister admits paying hush money to French model. a) government money which the public know nothing about b) money from drugs c) money to keep something secret Hush is a word you use when you want someone to be silent., An all-female party for a woman about to get married is called a hen party (or a shower in American English). Jam is very sticky, so we usually say get stuck in a traffic jam. Nest egg originated in the seventeenth'century and was an:eggf made of china that a farmer put in a hen's nest to encourage it to lay more eggs. If a baby \&teething, its first teeth are growing and it is often uncomfortable Choose the word (a, b or c) which best completes each sentence. To help you, the meaning of the idiom is given in brackets after each sentence. 'What was the exam like, Carol?' 'Great! It was a piece of cake a) cheese (b])cake (Meaning: It was very easy.) c) old rope The resignation of the chairman of the board came like a bolt from_. a) the sky b) above c) the blue (Meaning: It was sudden and unexpected.) The so-called scandal turned out to be nothing more than a storm in__. a) an ocean b) a teacup c) a bucket (Meaning: A lot of fuss and excitement about something that is not really important.) To be a politician it helps if you have the gift of the a) gab b) lip c) tongue (Meaning: You are able to speak fluently, confidently and persuasively.) He was £100,000 in debt. His friend offered to lend him £500, but it was just a drop in the_to what he really needed. a) swimming pool b) lake c) ocean (Meaning: A very small amount compared with what is actually needed) Today's revelation in the newspaper about police corruption is just the tip of the__ . If you ask me, there's a lot more to come. a) mountain b) needle c) iceberg (Meaning: Only the start of something that is much bigger, most of J SLC I ION ? 7 'Which is the_one out in these three words: sparrow, eagle, snake?' 'Snake! The other two are birds.' a) strange b) odd c) next (Meaning: Which word is different from the rest.) 8 I'd hate to be the politician who said publicly that in his opinion 'the Internet was just a flash in the_.' a) pan b) fire c) mirror (Meaning: It would be suddenly popular but would only last a short time.) 9 If you're going to run for mayor, just make sure there are no _in the cupboard! You know what the press are like. a) moths b) skeletons c) ghosts (Meaning: Make sure you don't have anything in your past that could be embarrassing or shameful.) 10 He had been a market trader for years and offered to show his nephew the tricks of the_. a) job b) trade c) profession (Meaning: The best ways and clever methods of being successful.) 11 My answer to the quiz question 'Who composed the Midnight Sonata?' was just a shot in the_. I didn't really know it was Beethoven. a) night b) air c) dark (Meaning: A wild guess.) 12 I didn't really mean to say that - it was just a slip of the a) mouth b) jaw c) tongue (Meaning: You said something you didn't really mean to say.) [|3> It was an excellent dinner party. The only_in the ointment was Helen spilling red wine over our new carpet. a) finger b) fly c) stone (Meaning: A small problem or minor incident that spoils something that is otherwise perfect.) Ill Not getting that teaching job in Florida was_in disguise. The school was destroyed by a hurricane the very same week I was due to start. a) luck b) the devil c) a blessing (Meaning: Something which appears bad at first but then turns out well.) Ill Well, well, if it isn't Celia Durban! You're a sight for _eyes! a) old b) blue c) sore (Meaning: You are really pleased to see someone. A very welcome sight.) Onlv one ninth ot an icobc rp is1 is>ibk> The iest is hidden boi it nrh the & \i so thci'j is still a qre.tt deal lo hr m'oilcri itm of tne iLCucrg^ 17 Noun pairs Fill in the missing pairs of nouns in the sentences below. Choose from the following: back to front cock and bull finger3 and thumbs flesh and blood fun and games hand in glove head and shoulders hustle and bustle life and soul nook and cranny pros and cons skin and bone tooth and nail ups and downs wear and tear 1 Don't let Ross do the washing-up. He's bound to drop something. He's all fingers and thumbs . _2 We looked in every_ but couldn't find it anywhere. 3 I Paul was so funny on Saturday. He was the _of the party! 4 This carpet is made from a brand-new type of fibre and should stand up to a lot of_. 5 I like living in a small village in Wales, but there are times when I miss the____of London. 6 You're not eating enough! Just look at you! You're all 1 You can't throw her out, surely? Not your sister - not your own _! He couldn't understand why the students were laughing until he noticed that he'd got his jumper on_;_. The managing director carefully outlined the _of the proposed merger. As soon as the teacher went out of the classroom, the children got up to all sorts of_. for the missing ring, ° ° • divorced yet. Louis and Anne-Marie are always fighting _. I'm surprised they haven't got Kimberley was an outstanding student who was _above the others in the class. Life is full of , isn't it? You just hope you get more happy moments than sad ones. 7 He gave us some _story about being abducted by aliens to explain why he was late for work. Nook is an old v-oid for coinoi and cidnnv is an old wort) for n jck Husllo means husv and noisv «v,tMty Iho /rrh l>ustle meiins io move around quickly loownq «£ry buv, 8 The police are working. with the Football Association in an effort to stamp out soccer violence. 18 f. dioms using common nouns 1 2m Read the speech bubbles below and then decide which idioms are being described. Choose from the following: END be at the end of your tether H be at a loose end get hold of the wrong end of the stick It's not the end of the world! make ends meet MIND a weight off your mind can't make up your mind give someone a piece of your mind slip your mind I know she says she's happy in her letter, but I've just got this feeling she's hiding something. Write to me some time! LINE drop someone a line read between the lines toe the line POINT at point-blank range I take your point! What's the point? I've tried everything to stop the baby crying. I just don't know what to do next. The snake was less than a foot away from her when she shot it. She couldn't miss! 71 You've misunderstood us completely. That's not what we meant at all! Shall I take the tabby or the ginger one? Oh it's so hard to choose, they're both so cute! Yes, I understand what you're saying - you are quite right. For the first time in my life I'm out of work! What am I going to do? 8 10 12 Of course I'll do as I'm told. What good is it complaining to the travel company. They won't do anything about it! I spend more than I earn. What am I going to do? It's so hard to manage. I've just seen the doctor again and he said there is no need for an operation after all. What a relief! Oh I'm sorry about the lottery ticket, Helga. I forgot all about it! "f If an animal is tied to a tether (a rope attached to a post), it can only get a JiiillSiS certain distance - no mote. if<*'f-You can also refuse to do something point blank, (I told him point blank I wouldn't do it!) which means you do so directly and without trying to explain _______________________________________________________■__________________________________ 19 SECTION Idioms using common nouns 2 Say whether the idioms in the following sentences are used correctly (true) or incorrectly (false). 1 I promised him. I gave him my word. 2 We'll have to ask someone for directions. I just don't know which way to turn. 3 If you are having a whale of a time, you are probably not enjoying yourself. She was offended. She took it the wrong way. He's in prison. He's doing time. 10 11 12 Justin is very hard to understand because he doesn't mince his words. If you are really angry with someone, you might have words with them. We checked the weather forecast to see which way the wind was blowing. The parcel was delayed - it arrived in next to no time. He's going to be a famous actor one day. You mark my words! Most soldiers are able to march in good time. Charles and I go back a long way. In fact, we started school at the same time. 13 His house is a bit out of the way. In other words it's very modern. True False I Mum's the word!' Remember - it's a secret! The fire brigade arrived in the nick of time. Two minutes later and the house would have burnt down. Mr Leung translated what the Chinese prime minister said. He took the words out of his mouth. Watching TV or reading a book are two good ways of killing time. Having a whale of time! To serve time can also mean when you are in prison. A nick is a tiny cut (or notch) in a piece of wood. Long ago people would keep the score when playing a game by cutting notches in a piece of wood. If one team scored at the last minute and won the match, then that nick