Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “extremely irritated or close to losing patience”?
A. In the works
B. Fight fire with fire
C. Pull no punches
D. On one's last nerve
Correct Answer: D
“On one's last nerve” means extremely irritated or close to losing patience. Example: The constant noise was getting on her last nerve. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Off one's head”?
A. crazy or behaving irrationally
B. someone finally understands something
C. permanently or seriously
D. rare and not often found
Correct Answer: A
“Off one's head” means crazy or behaving irrationally. Example: You must be off your head to take such a dangerous risk. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Off one's chest”?
A. a person whose thoughts or life are easy to understand
B. said or revealed in order to feel relief from worry or guilt
C. a situation with either too much or too little and nothing in between
D. to act without a plan, relying on instinct and experience
Correct Answer: B
“Off one's chest” means said or revealed in order to feel relief from worry or guilt. Example: He felt better after getting the secret off his chest. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “She finally made up her mind to apply.”, what is the meaning of “Make up one's mind”?
A. smiling very broadly
B. to make progress
C. to reach a decision
D. honestly and with sincere intentions
Correct Answer: C
“Make up one's mind” means to reach a decision. Example: She finally made up her mind to apply. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Make no mistake”?
A. to adapt to difficulties and continue despite setbacks
B. while acting under strong emotion without enough thought
C. to admire or respect someone for an achievement
D. used to emphasize that something is certainly true
Correct Answer: D
“Make no mistake” means used to emphasize that something is certainly true. Example: Make no mistake, the competition will be tough. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to treat something serious as if it were unimportant”?
A. Make light of
B. Zero in on
C. Slip through one's fingers
D. Put someone on the spot
Correct Answer: A
“Make light of” means to treat something serious as if it were unimportant. Example: Do not make light of safety violations. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Make headway”?
A. someone finally understands something
B. to make progress
C. young and inexperienced
D. something worth thinking about carefully
Correct Answer: B
“Make headway” means to make progress. Example: The committee finally made headway on the disputed issue. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Lose face”?
A. to ruin someone's plans, chances, or position
B. to accept an unpleasant situation without complaining
C. to suffer humiliation or loss of respect
D. to destroy someone's happy but unrealistic belief
Correct Answer: C
“Lose face” means to suffer humiliation or loss of respect. Example: The compromise helped the official avoid losing face. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Both are excellent craftsmen—like father, like son.”, what is the meaning of “Like father, like son”?
A. to make a careless mistake or fail in a responsibility
B. at a point where an important decision must be made
C. not comparable because one is much better or worse
D. a son often resembles his father in behavior or character
Correct Answer: D
“Like father, like son” means a son often resembles his father in behavior or character. Example: Both are excellent craftsmen—like father, like son. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Level playing field”?
A. a fair situation in which everyone has equal opportunity
B. to treat something serious as if it were unimportant
C. to allow the possibility of future action or agreement
D. to end in a very exciting or impressive way
Correct Answer: A
“Level playing field” means a fair situation in which everyone has equal opportunity. Example: Transparent rules create a level playing field for all candidates. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “a person or thing widely mocked or ridiculed”?
A. Clear the air
B. Laughing stock
C. Corner the market
D. Fall into place
Correct Answer: B
“Laughing stock” means a person or thing widely mocked or ridiculed. Example: The failed scheme made the department a laughing stock. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Last but not least”?
A. to act in a way that matches one's words or promises
B. to avoid helping someone by sending them from place to place or giving excuses
C. used to introduce the final item while stressing it is still important
D. a person whose thoughts or life are easy to understand
Correct Answer: C
“Last but not least” means used to introduce the final item while stressing it is still important. Example: Last but not least, review your answers before submission. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to know something from memory”?
A. Keep one's eyes peeled
B. At a crossroads
C. Catch-22
D. Know something by heart
Correct Answer: D
“Know something by heart” means to know something from memory. Example: Candidates should know key formulas by heart. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Knock someone's socks off”?
A. to greatly impress or surprise someone
B. to begin performing confidently and effectively
C. a dangerously or extremely fast speed
D. more advanced or progressive than others
Correct Answer: A
“Knock someone's socks off” means to greatly impress or surprise someone. Example: Her presentation knocked the panel's socks off. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Kill time”?
A. to cause damage, suffering, or exhaustion over time
B. to do something while waiting so that time passes
C. unable to see well or notice what is obvious
D. to focus closely on a particular target or issue
Correct Answer: B
“Kill time” means to do something while waiting so that time passes. Example: We played a game to kill time before the train arrived. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The new policy was kept under wraps until the official launch.”, what is the meaning of “Keep under wraps”?
A. to delay criticism, action, or attack
B. to stop oneself from saying something
C. to keep something secret or hidden
D. certainly; with permission or without hesitation
Correct Answer: C
“Keep under wraps” means to keep something secret or hidden. Example: The new policy was kept under wraps until the official launch. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Keep one's eyes peeled”?
A. to organize everything properly before acting
B. the whole of something; everything involved
C. to stop oneself from saying something
D. to watch very carefully for something
Correct Answer: D
“Keep one's eyes peeled” means to watch very carefully for something. Example: Keep your eyes peeled for the road sign. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to act too soon before the proper time”?
A. Jump the gun
B. Grin and bear it
C. Wrap things up
D. Fall into place
Correct Answer: A
“Jump the gun” means to act too soon before the proper time. Example: Announcing the result before verification would be jumping the gun. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Jump down someone's throat”?
A. to be grateful for the good things one has
B. to respond to someone with sudden anger or criticism
C. to treat something serious as if it were unimportant
D. a fair situation in which everyone has equal opportunity
Correct Answer: B
“Jump down someone's throat” means to respond to someone with sudden anger or criticism. Example: Do not jump down my throat before hearing the full story. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “In two shakes”?
A. extremely happy
B. permanently or seriously
C. very quickly
D. temporarily given low priority
Correct Answer: C
“In two shakes” means very quickly. Example: I will finish this form in two shakes. Exam tip: Identify the figurative sense of the whole expression instead of translating each word literally.