IDIOMS & PHRASES – PRACTICE SET-1 – SOLVED

1. Can you give me a hand with this luggage?
A) Keep a watch on B) Handle
C) Provide me  D) Help me

2. They say, join the Army to drink life to the lees.
A) To have the best of fun and fortune B) To enjoy a life of drinking and dancing
C) To have a life full of adventures D) To have the best of life

3. He looked blank when he was informed about his dismissal.
A) Was without any emotion B) Was puzzled and surprised
C) Was uninterested D) Was unhappy

4. His position in the company was on the brink of disaster.
A) At the top of ruin B) At the point of ruin
C) On the side of ruin D) On the back of ruin

5. Tagore was a man of letters.
A) Of wide contacts B) An excellent letter dictator
C) A great writer of letters D) Proficient in literary art

6. The reputed company is in the red due to the recession.
A) Making money B) Losing money
C) In danger D) Spending money

7. The car in the backyard is proving to be a white elephant.
A) Very huge item B) Costly and useless possession
C) Very expensive investment D) Useful material

8. Every political party is at present playing to the gallery.
A) Adopting cheap tactics B) Befooling the common man
C) Fighting for votes D) Appeasing the masses

9. That fellow trumped up a story.
A) Translated B) Sang with the music of a trumpet
C) Concocted D) Copied

10. The car broke down just as it reached the edge of a cliff. It was indeed a close shave.
A) To share one’s brand B) Very risky
C) Narrow escape from danger D) To be happy

11. The poor subordinates are made scapegoats by their superiors.
A) Punished for others’ misdeeds B) Developed poor relations
C) Treated humbly and respectfully D) Scolded with arrogant reactions

12. The little girl with her flawless performance stole the show.
A) Stole something from the show B) Crept into the show
C) Won everybody’s praise D) Disappeared from the show

13. The meeting has been put off indefinitely.
A) Cancelled B) Postponed
C) Advanced D) Announced

14. This is so simple that even a man in the street can understand it.
A) An ordinary person B) An illiterate person
C) An unknown person D) A stranger

15. The thief passed himself off as a ticket examiner.
A) Described himself B) Deceived everyone
C) Disguised himself D) Was regarded

16. We wanted the gift to be a surprise for my mother, but my sister gave the game away.
A) Lost the game B) Gave out the secret
C) Gave away the gift D) Withdrew from the plan

17. When she realised that she had bought a fake product, she knew that her money had gone down the drain.
A) Was lost forever B) Dropped in the drain
C) Got washed away D) Her money was safe

18. His speech fell short on the audience.
A) Had no effect B) Moved the audience
C) Impressed the audience D) Was quite short

19. The matter has been sorted out.
A) Revised B) Supported
C) Resolved D) Changed

20. The thief was on good terms with the police.
A) Kept terms and conditions B) Was friendly
C) Followed the rules D) Agreed with them

21. Having no arguments to defend his point, the speaker began to beat about the bush.
A) Wander across the words B) Speak in a haphazard manner
C) Speak in a round-about manner D) Make use of irrelevant reference

22. The rules of the deal are set forth in the brochure.
A) Stated B) Accepted
C) Contradicted D) Printed

23. When he went to claim insurance for his car, the agent said he hadn’t a leg to stand on.
A) Had been injured in an accident B) Was lame
C) Did not have much hope of getting it D) Would have to wait for some time

24. A brave soldier will never show the white feather in the face of his enemy.
A) Show signs of cowardice B) Act arrogantly
C) Show intimacy D) Act impudently

25. I have decided to give it a shot.
A) Click a picture B) Try something
C) Pose for a picture D) Injure someone

Answer Keys

Solution with explanation

2. Option ‘C’ (To have a life full of adventures). THE LEES = the substance that is left at the bottom of a container of liquid, especially in a bottle of wine

4. Option ‘B’ (At the point of ruin). BRINK OF DISASTER = A point very close to complete ruin, destruction, or failure; e.g. The increasing tension of looming war between the two countries has brought the entire region to the brink of disaster.

5. Option ‘D’ (Proficient in literary art). LITERARY = connected with literature

8. Option ‘D’ (Appeasing the masses). APPEASE = If you try to appease someone, you try to stop them from being angry by giving them what they want. MASSES = the ordinary people  who form the  largest group in a society; e.g.

The candidate won the support of the masses.

9. Option ‘C’ (Concocted). CONCOCT = to invent an excuse, explanation, or story in order to deceive  someone; e.g. He concocted a story about working late at the office.

15. Option ‘C’ (Disguised himself).  DISGUISE = to give a new appearance to a person or thing,  especially in order to hide its true form; e.g. He disguised himself by wearing a false beard.

17. Option ‘A’ (Was lost forever). DRAIN = a pipe that carries water or sewage away from a place, or an opening in a surface that leads to the pipe; e.g.

Sagar built his own house and laid his own drains.

19. Option ‘C’ (Resolved). RESOLVE = to solve or end a problem or difficulty; e.g.

The couple  resolved their differences and made an effort to get along.

20. Option ‘B’ (Was friendly). FRIENDLY = behaving in a pleasant, kind way towards someone; e.g.

I’m on friendly terms with my daughter’s teacher.

21. Option ‘C’ (Speak in a round-about manner). SPEAK IN A ROUND-ABOUT MANNER = to say something indirectly; e.g.

Why don’t you say what you mean? Why do you always say something in a roundabout way?

22. Option ‘A’ (Stated). BROCHURE = a small book or magazine containing pictures and information about a product or service

24. Option ‘A’ (Show signs of cowardice). COWARDICE = the condition of lacking bravery, being easily frightened

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