CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Bite the dust”?
A. to feel extremely well and confident
B. to admit the truth about something
C. to behave loudly or dramatically in public
D. to be defeated, fail, or die
Correct Answer: D
“Bite the dust” means to be defeated, fail, or die. Example: Several weak proposals bit the dust during evaluation. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “an important person in a limited or unimportant setting”?
A. Out of the question
B. Cut one's losses
C. Big fish in a small pond
D. A big cheese
Correct Answer: C
“Big fish in a small pond” means an important person in a limited or unimportant setting. Example: He preferred being a big fish in a small pond to competing nationally. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Between you, me and the gatepost”?
A. natural skill in growing plants
B. used to introduce something confidential
C. to greatly surprise or impress someone
D. to spend or contribute money
Correct Answer: B
“Between you, me and the gatepost” means used to introduce something confidential. Example: Between you, me and the gatepost, the committee may reject the plan. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Bend over backwards”?
A. to make an exceptional effort to help or please someone
B. to change one's opinion or manner, especially under pressure
C. deceptive or misleading presentation intended to hide the truth
D. to try deliberately to attract or win a particular person
Correct Answer: A
“Bend over backwards” means to make an exceptional effort to help or please someone. Example: The staff bent over backwards to assist the applicants. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “He thought arguing in public was below his dignity.”, what is the meaning of “Below one's dignity”?
A. to be too difficult for someone to understand
B. to act very carefully to avoid upsetting someone
C. to cost more money than one can afford
D. considered too low or unworthy for one's status
Correct Answer: D
“Below one's dignity” means considered too low or unworthy for one's status. Example: He thought arguing in public was below his dignity. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Be in seventh heaven”?
A. completely difficult to understand
B. slightly ill or not feeling well
C. to be extremely happy
D. natural skill in growing plants
Correct Answer: C
“Be in seventh heaven” means to be extremely happy. Example: She was in seventh heaven after receiving the scholarship. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to prepare for trouble or a difficult situation”?
A. Look down one's nose at
B. Batten down the hatches
C. Not one's scene
D. All that glitters is not gold
Correct Answer: B
“Batten down the hatches” means to prepare for trouble or a difficult situation. Example: Businesses battened down the hatches before the severe storm. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Back to basics”?
A. to return to the simplest and most important principles
B. to stop an unsuccessful activity before losing even more
C. to take advantage of a favorable opportunity while it lasts
D. to reveal someone's hidden identity or secret role
Correct Answer: A
“Back to basics” means to return to the simplest and most important principles. Example: After poor results, the coach took the team back to basics. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “according to one's own wishes without considering others”?
A. Show one's hand
B. Keep one's ear to the ground
C. Turn up one's nose at
D. At one's own sweet will
Correct Answer: D
“At one's own sweet will” means according to one's own wishes without considering others. Example: No public officer should act at his own sweet will. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “At death's door”?
A. to ask for something impossible
B. to provide useful material, advantage, or profit
C. very ill and close to death
D. to learn something through informal rumors
Correct Answer: C
“At death's door” means very ill and close to death. Example: The patient was at death's door before treatment began. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “As the crow flies”?
A. a great deal of fuss over something unimportant
B. in a straight line between two places
C. to be ignored or not listened to
D. to accept a difficult or unpleasant reality
Correct Answer: B
“As the crow flies” means in a straight line between two places. Example: The village is ten kilometres away as the crow flies. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The old law followed the idea of an eye for an eye.”, what is the meaning of “An eye for an eye”?
A. the principle of equal retaliation
B. more importantly than anything else
C. to amaze someone greatly
D. to feel extremely well and confident
Correct Answer: A
“An eye for an eye” means the principle of equal retaliation. Example: The old law followed the idea of an eye for an eye. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “All mouth and no trousers”?
A. the crucial moment when an important action begins
B. to have more important matters to deal with
C. money saved is as valuable as money earned
D. full of talk but lacking action or courage
Correct Answer: D
“All mouth and no trousers” means full of talk but lacking action or courage. Example: He keeps boasting about reform but is all mouth and no trousers. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “a normal part of one's job or routine”?
A. A diamond in the rough
B. Put the lid on
C. All in a day's work
D. Keep one's shirt on
Correct Answer: C
“All in a day's work” means a normal part of one's job or routine. Example: Handling difficult clients is all in a day's work for her. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “All Greek to me”?
A. alert and ready to act
B. completely difficult to understand
C. appearances can be deceptive
D. to admit the truth about something
Correct Answer: B
“All Greek to me” means completely difficult to understand. Example: The legal terminology was all Greek to me. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “A sight for sore eyes”?
A. a person or thing one is very pleased or relieved to see
B. a person who gives unwanted advice to someone doing a task
C. to claim that someone said something they did not say
D. to remain uncertain and capable of turning either way
Correct Answer: A
“A sight for sore eyes” means a person or thing one is very pleased or relieved to see. Example: After hours in the desert, the rescue vehicle was a sight for sore eyes. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “A little bird told me that the results may be announced tomorrow.”, what is the meaning of “A little bird told me”?
A. to delay a decision until one has had time to think
B. to make an exceptional effort to help or please someone
C. with very little chance of success and relying mainly on hope
D. used to say that one knows something but will not reveal the source
Correct Answer: D
“A little bird told me” means used to say that one knows something but will not reveal the source. Example: A little bird told me that the results may be announced tomorrow. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “A bird in the hand”?
A. to begin a serious task and commit oneself to it
B. to be pleased that someone or something unwanted has gone
C. something certain is better than something more valuable but uncertain
D. to go out and celebrate in a lively way
Correct Answer: C
“A bird in the hand” means something certain is better than something more valuable but uncertain. Example: He accepted the secure job because a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “an important or influential person”?
A. Bend over backwards
B. A big cheese
C. Let bygones be bygones
D. Burn the midnight candle
Correct Answer: B
“A big cheese” means an important or influential person. Example: Everyone became attentive when the big cheese entered the meeting. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The supposed scandal proved to be a mare's nest.”, what is the meaning of “A mare's nest”?
A. away from the usual or commonly chosen route or method
B. a discovery or situation that turns out to be false or worthless
C. a situation in which success may fail at the last moment
D. a small action likely to lead to larger undesirable consequences
Correct Answer: B
“A mare's nest” means a discovery or situation that turns out to be false or worthless. Example: The supposed scandal proved to be a mare's nest. Exam tip: Remember the core sense of the expression rather than its literal words.