Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Curry favour”?
A. a past event that is no longer important
B. a normal part of one's job or routine
C. to seek approval by flattering or pleasing someone
D. to provide help to someone in serious difficulty
Correct Answer: C
“Curry favour” means to seek approval by flattering or pleasing someone. Example: He tried to curry favour with the senior management. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Cross the Rubicon”?
A. to relax and behave freely after restraint
B. to take an irreversible and decisive step
C. in serious difficulty and likely to fail
D. to suddenly begin discussing a different subject
Correct Answer: B
“Cross the Rubicon” means to take an irreversible and decisive step. Example: By resigning publicly, he crossed the Rubicon. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Opportunists often worship the rising sun.”, what is the meaning of “Worship the rising sun”?
A. to flatter or support people who are gaining power
B. to be the person who controls a group or situation
C. to criticize or question something received as a gift
D. to want two incompatible advantages at the same time
Correct Answer: A
“Worship the rising sun” means to flatter or support people who are gaining power. Example: Opportunists often worship the rising sun. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Take up the cudgels for”?
A. to remain proud and confident in difficulty
B. in serious difficulty and likely to fail
C. to operate smoothly and exactly as planned
D. to defend or support someone strongly
Correct Answer: D
“Take up the cudgels for” means to defend or support someone strongly. Example: The lawyer took up the cudgels for the wrongly accused worker. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to try deliberately to attract or win a particular person”?
A. Save face
B. Lend an ear
C. Set one's cap at
D. Walk on eggshells
Correct Answer: C
“Set one's cap at” means to try deliberately to attract or win a particular person. Example: She had set her cap at securing the prestigious fellowship. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Put one's hand in one's pocket”?
A. being apart can increase affection
B. to spend or contribute money
C. to remain proud and confident in difficulty
D. to break a promise
Correct Answer: B
“Put one's hand in one's pocket” means to spend or contribute money. Example: Local businesses put their hands in their pockets to support the relief fund. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Plough a lonely furrow”?
A. to pursue an independent course without support from others
B. a person very similar in character to a parent
C. to lose a skill or ability one once had
D. to act very carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Correct Answer: A
“Plough a lonely furrow” means to pursue an independent course without support from others. Example: The researcher ploughed a lonely furrow for years before being recognized. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Those who make reckless decisions eventually have to pay the piper.”, what is the meaning of “Pay the piper”?
A. deceptive or misleading presentation intended to hide the truth
B. too many people controlling a task can ruin it
C. to remain uncertain and capable of turning either way
D. to bear the cost or consequences of an action
Correct Answer: D
“Pay the piper” means to bear the cost or consequences of an action. Example: Those who make reckless decisions eventually have to pay the piper. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Live on air”?
A. very ill and close to death
B. to deceive or trick someone
C. to survive with very little food
D. likely or expected to happen
Correct Answer: C
“Live on air” means to survive with very little food. Example: During the expedition they seemed to live on air. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to give someone little attention, sympathy, or consideration”?
A. Take a dim view of
B. Give someone short shrift
C. Hold the fort
D. Cry for the moon
Correct Answer: B
“Give someone short shrift” means to give someone little attention, sympathy, or consideration. Example: The committee gave the weak complaint short shrift. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Draw the long bow”?
A. to exaggerate greatly
B. to break a promise
C. alert and ready to act
D. to defend or support someone strongly
Correct Answer: A
“Draw the long bow” means to exaggerate greatly. Example: He was drawing the long bow when he claimed complete success. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to fail badly or suffer an unexpected fall”?
A. Have bigger fish to fry
B. Fish in troubled waters
C. Hold all the aces
D. Come a cropper
Correct Answer: D
“Come a cropper” means to fail badly or suffer an unexpected fall. Example: The overconfident candidate came a cropper in the final round. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Chew the cud”?
A. to provide useful material, advantage, or profit
B. to take an irreversible and decisive step
C. to think deeply and leisurely about something
D. to wait anxiously for something to happen
Correct Answer: C
“Chew the cud” means to think deeply and leisurely about something. Example: He sat alone chewing the cud over the proposal. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Bring grist to the mill”?
A. to send someone a short written message
B. to provide useful material, advantage, or profit
C. to make a guess without enough information
D. to have too much work to do
Correct Answer: B
“Bring grist to the mill” means to provide useful material, advantage, or profit. Example: Every new case brings grist to the lawyer's mill. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Arguing without evidence is merely beating the air.”, what is the meaning of “Beat the air”?
A. to make useless or ineffective efforts
B. to make a careful and serious effort
C. to be nervous, tense, or irritable
D. to be ignored or not listened to
Correct Answer: A
“Beat the air” means to make useless or ineffective efforts. Example: Arguing without evidence is merely beating the air. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Zero hour”?
A. to risk everything in an attempt to succeed
B. to be the dominant decision-maker in a relationship
C. to sell very quickly and in large quantities
D. the crucial moment when an important action begins
Correct Answer: D
“Zero hour” means the crucial moment when an important action begins. Example: At zero hour, every member of the team was ready. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to work extremely hard”?
A. Hit the ground running
B. Make one's mouth water
C. Work one's fingers to the bone
D. An eye for an eye
Correct Answer: C
“Work one's fingers to the bone” means to work extremely hard. Example: He worked his fingers to the bone to support his family. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Win laurels”?
A. to experience financial difficulty
B. to gain honor or distinction
C. without money, employment, or hope
D. to perform much better than someone
Correct Answer: B
“Win laurels” means to gain honor or distinction. Example: She won laurels for the country through her research. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Wear thin”?
A. to become less convincing, acceptable, or effective through repetition
B. to accept an insult or bad treatment without resistance
C. to be pleased that someone or something unwanted has gone
D. to criticize or question something received as a gift
Correct Answer: A
“Wear thin” means to become less convincing, acceptable, or effective through repetition. Example: His excuses are beginning to wear thin. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The team was under the gun to finish before the deadline.”, what is the meaning of “Under the gun”?
A. to forget past disagreements and forgive one another
B. improper, unreasonable, or not in accordance with rules
C. to understand someone's thoughts or intentions very easily
D. under strong pressure to act quickly or perform
Correct Answer: D
“Under the gun” means under strong pressure to act quickly or perform. Example: The team was under the gun to finish before the deadline. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.