IDIOMS & PHRASES – PRACTICE SET-13 – SOLVED

1. The news of the President’s death spread like wild fire.
A) Spread rapidly      B) Caused a major confusion
C) Was a wild rumour      D) Set the nation on fire

2. The actress took cue from her brother and became successful.
A) Some help      B) A hint
C) Some money      D) Learnt acting

3. After listening to the student’s statements, the teacher had to eat her words.
A) Withdraw her words      B) Stop speaking
C) Apologize      D) Quarrel

4. Once his crime was discovered, he had no option but to come clean.
A) To deny the crime      B) To confess to the crime
C) To accuse someone else of the crime      D) To apologize for the crime

5. It is hard to strike a bargain with a woman.
A) To finalize a deal      B) To negotiate a deal
C) To negotiate      D) To deal

6. She could never measure up to her parent’s expectation.
A) Reach the level      B) Work as hard
C) Assess the amount      D) Increase her height

7. When the Principal was entering the class, all my friends quietly disappeared, leaving me alone to face the music.
A) To listen to him      B) To enter into the class
C) To bear the criticism      D) To listen to a favourable comment

8. He takes leave once in a blue moon.
A) Regularly      B) Often
C) Rarely     D) Once a fortnight

9. His blood ran cold when he heard his uncle was murdered.
A) He was frightened     B) He was horrified
C) He was disgusted      D) He was depressed

10. Though he is not a scholar, he wins arguments because he has the gift of the gab.
A) Gifts from many people     B) A lot of money
C) Talent for speaking      D) A good memory

11. The parents are in high spirits as their son has got a decent job.
A) In good position      B) Drunk
C) Cheerful      D) Shocked

12. I take exception to your statement that I am bad tempered.
A) Do not agree      B) Feel unhappy
C) Object      D) Feel angry

13. In a debate, no one is allowed to sit on the fence.
A) To avoid taking sides      B) To insult a speaker
C) To relax while others speak      D) To agree with everyone

14. She was on the horns of a dilemma as she had either to leave her job or divorce her husband.
A) In nervous condition      B) In terrible mood
C) In difficult situation      D) In suspense

15. A Prime Minister cannot ride roughshod over his ministerial colleagues for long.
A) Deal unkindly with      B) Take for granted
C) Be high-handed with      D) Exploit willfully

16. The scheme appears worthless at the first blush.
A) First attempt      B) First sight
C) First step      D) First phase

17. It is clear that the ideas of both reformers ran in the same groove.
A) Promoted each other      B) Clashed with each other
C) Moved in harmony      D) Moved in different directions

18. As a businessman, my father always maintained that his transactions constituted an open book.
A) An account book always open      B) A book of open confessions
C) An opening for new ventures      D) Straight forward and honest dealings

19. When things go wrong, everyone starts passing the buck.
A) Analyses the problem      B) Prepares to resign
C) Pays a bribe      D) Blames someone else

20. His friends beat the boy to pay off old scores.
A) To refund old dues      B) To take revenge
C) To force him to be a scorer in a match      D) Because he had not scored well earlier

Answer Keys

1. A	2. B	3. A	4. B	5. A	6. A	7. C	8. C	9. A	10. C
11. C	12. C	13. A	14. C	15. C	16. B	17. C	18. D	19. D	20. B

Solution with explanation

2. Option ‘B’ (A hint). Here HINT = a piece of advice that helps you to do something; e.g.

Could you give us a hint about how to do this exercise, please?

4. Option ‘B’ (To confess to the crime). CONFESS = admit that one has committed a crime or done something wrong

5. Option ‘A’ (To finalize a deal). DEAL = an agreement or an arrangement, especially in business; e.g.

a) Do you think the government should try to strike a deal with the terrorists?
b) After some tough bargaining, we finally agreed on a deal.
c) Our firm could lose a lot of money if the deal is unsuccessful.

7. Option ‘C’ (To bear the criticism). CRITICM = the act of saying that something or someone is bad; e.g.

I have a few criticisms to make about your speech.

8. Option ‘C’ (Rarely); e.g.

My sister lives in Canada, so I only see her once in a blue moon.

9. Option ‘A’ (He was frightened); e.g.

The screams coming from the old, dark house made my blood run cold.

10. Option ‘C’ (Talent for speaking). GAB = to talk continuously and eagerly, especially about things that are not important; e.g.

I got so bored listening to him gabbing on about nothing.

14. Option ‘C’ (In difficult situation). DILEMMA = a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two different things you could do; e.g.

She faces the dilemma of disobeying her father  or losing the man she loves.

15. Option ‘C’ (Be high-handed with). HIGH-HANDED = using power or authority more forcefully  than is needed, without thinking about the feelings or wishes of other people

17. Option ‘C’ (Moved in harmony).

HARMONY = a situation in which people are peaceful  and  agree with each other, or when things seem right or suitable together; e.g.

Everyone lived  together in perfect harmony.

GROOVE = a group of trees planted close together

19. Option ‘D’ (Blames someone else). BUCK = a dollar/rupee, etc.; e.g.

He charged me 20 bucks for a new cap.

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