This quiz is designed to check your basic understanding of Idiomatic expressions, an important topic under Verbal Ability. Choose the appropriate meaning of the italicised idioms.
1. | The opposition in parliament accused the government of playing games and refusing to accept the seriousness of the situation. A. being light hearted B. being heavy hearted C. being down hearted D. being faint hearted |
2. | He accused her of talking through her hat and refused to accept a word of what she said. A. talking sense B. talking straight C. talking nonsense D. talking tough |
3. | The police advised them to go down to the cellar in order to be out of harm’s way. A. away from the noise B. inside the area C. into safety D. away from danger |
4. | I’d give my right arm if I could get tickets for that concert. A. do absolutely anything B. do something stupid C. do something dangerous D. do what you want |
5. | You can always rely on Fred to put his foot in it and come out with a remark like that. A. tread on somebody B. say something embarrassing C. fall over D. put on the wrong shoe |
6. | There are times when you must decide and take the bull by the horns. A. make the right decision B. make a bold decision C. make the wrong decision D. make a final decision |
7. | He leads a dog’s life really because his freedom is always curtailed. A. never knows what to do B. never goes out C. sometimes does something wrong D. never does what he wants |
8. | No-one ever mentions him because he’s regarded as the black sheep of the family. A. the one with a sense of humour B. the one who is always late C. the one with a bad reputation D. the one who never washes |
9. | I shouldn’t go outside without a raincoat because it’s raining cats and dogs. A. it’s just started to rain B. it’s raining very heavily C. it’s going to rain D. it’s raining a little |
10. | You shouldn’t sign there I think he’s about to make a monkey out of you. A. to make a fool of you B. to make you feel stupid C. to make you lose money D. to make you lose interest |
11. | It’s a lovely house and very big but nobody uses it so it’s a bit of a white elephant. A. something very beautiful and useful B. something very cheap and useless C. something very big and useful D. something very expensive and useless |
12. | When the business folded, he took the lion’s share of the assets. A. the easiest part B. the smallest part C. the biggest part D. the only part |
13. | Without my glasses I can’t see where I’m going in fact I’m as blind as a bat. A. very short sighted B. very long sighted C. very far sighted D. very clear sighted |
14. | I get very irritated sometimes because they’re always up with the lark and I like to lie in. A. up very easily B. up very early C. up very often D. up very noisily |
15. | I would advise you to do that as well and in that way you’ll kill two birds with one stone. A. get things done twice B. get two things done at the same time C. get something done two times D. get two things done twice |
ANSWERS
1. A | 2. C | 3. D | 4. A | 5. B | 6. B | 7. D | 8. C | 9. B | 10. A | 11. D | 12. C | 13. A | 14. B | 15. B |