Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to solve a very difficult problem by decisive action”?
A. Give it one's best shot
B. Lose one's touch
C. Cut the Gordian knot
D. Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Correct Answer: C
“Cut the Gordian knot” means to solve a very difficult problem by decisive action. Example: The new policy cut the Gordian knot of the long-running dispute. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Cry for the moon”?
A. to work extremely hard
B. to ask for something impossible
C. to drive away very fast
D. to attract someone's attention
Correct Answer: B
“Cry for the moon” means to ask for something impossible. Example: Demanding perfect results without resources is crying for the moon. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Come to terms with”?
A. to accept a difficult or unpleasant reality
B. people who act early gain an advantage
C. to seek approval by flattering or pleasing someone
D. to make a guess without enough information
Correct Answer: A
“Come to terms with” means to accept a difficult or unpleasant reality. Example: He slowly came to terms with the loss. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Come hell or high water, she will sit the examination.”, what is the meaning of “Come hell or high water”?
A. to be nervous, tense, or irritable
B. to greatly surprise or impress someone
C. to be wasted or lost completely
D. regardless of any difficulty or obstacle
Correct Answer: D
“Come hell or high water” means regardless of any difficulty or obstacle. Example: Come hell or high water, she will sit the examination. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Chew something over”?
A. to cause great excitement or enthusiastic applause
B. to have many responsibilities or tasks
C. to think carefully about something before deciding
D. to make something seem very attractive, especially food
Correct Answer: C
“Chew something over” means to think carefully about something before deciding. Example: I need a day to chew the proposal over. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “said when someone is unusually silent or unable to answer”?
A. Let bygones be bygones
B. Cat got your tongue
C. The best of a bad bargain
D. Come a cropper
Correct Answer: B
“Cat got your tongue” means said when someone is unusually silent or unable to answer. Example: Why are you not answering—has the cat got your tongue? Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Cast the first stone”?
A. to be the first to accuse or condemn another person
B. to try deliberately to attract or win a particular person
C. to prevent something unpleasant from coming closer or becoming worse
D. to stop an unsuccessful activity before losing even more
Correct Answer: A
“Cast the first stone” means to be the first to accuse or condemn another person. Example: Before you cast the first stone, examine your own conduct. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom/phrase means “to buy or accept something without examining it properly”?
A. Get one's act together
B. Batten down the hatches
C. Every nook and cranny
D. Buy a pig in a poke
Correct Answer: D
“Buy a pig in a poke” means to buy or accept something without examining it properly. Example: Signing that contract without reading it is like buying a pig in a poke. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Bring the house down”?
A. to wait anxiously for something to happen
B. to suffer a final and decisive defeat
C. to cause great excitement or enthusiastic applause
D. to remain proud and confident in difficulty
Correct Answer: C
“Bring the house down” means to cause great excitement or enthusiastic applause. Example: Her final speech brought the house down. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom/phrase “Break ranks”?
A. not something one enjoys or feels comfortable with
B. to stop supporting or conforming to one's group
C. to reveal someone's hidden identity or secret role
D. money saved is as valuable as money earned
Correct Answer: B
“Break ranks” means to stop supporting or conforming to one's group. Example: Two members broke ranks and voted against the party. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The scale of the discovery blew everyone's mind.”, what is the meaning of “Blow one's mind”?
A. to greatly surprise or impress someone
B. to make the best possible impression
C. to make sense or appear reasonable
D. to reveal private information or secrets
Correct Answer: A
“Blow one's mind” means to greatly surprise or impress someone. Example: The scale of the discovery blew everyone's mind. Exam tip: Focus on the figurative meaning rather than the literal words.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.