CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Off one's rocker”?
A. crazy or behaving irrationally
B. to suddenly become very angry
C. generally or on the whole
D. in serious trouble or difficulty
Correct Answer: A
“Off one's rocker” means crazy or behaving irrationally. Example: You must be off your rocker to drive in that storm.
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Idioms
In the sentence “It rained off and on all afternoon.”, what does the idiom “Off and on” mean?
A. to help someone
B. occasionally or intermittently
C. to compromise with someone
D. finally and permanently
Correct Answer: B
“Off and on” means occasionally or intermittently. Example: It rained off and on all afternoon.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Not hold a candle to”?
A. working very closely together, often secretly or dishonestly
B. to refuse to change one's position or opinion
C. to be much inferior to someone or something
D. to state one's intentions or facts openly
Correct Answer: C
“Not hold a candle to” means to be much inferior to someone or something. Example: This remake does not hold a candle to the original film.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “very close or equal in a competition”?
A. Be on the mend
B. Hit below the belt
C. Make a clean breast of
D. Neck and neck
Correct Answer: D
“Neck and neck” means very close or equal in a competition. Example: The two runners were neck and neck near the finish.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “She moved heaven and earth to secure the documents.”, what does the idiom “Move heaven and earth” mean?
A. to make every possible effort
B. to confess fully and openly
C. to admit one's error and apologize
D. poorly dressed or lacking money
Correct Answer: A
“Move heaven and earth” means to make every possible effort. Example: She moved heaven and earth to secure the documents.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Meet halfway”?
A. poorly dressed or lacking money
B. to compromise with someone
C. in serious trouble or difficulty
D. a very long time
Correct Answer: B
“Meet halfway” means to compromise with someone. Example: Both sides agreed to meet halfway.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Make head or tail of”?
A. suddenly and without advance planning
B. to reveal or make known
C. to understand something at all
D. completely or in every respect
Correct Answer: C
“Make head or tail of” means to understand something at all. Example: I cannot make head or tail of these instructions.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “He made a clean breast of the mistake.”, what does the idiom “Make a clean breast of” mean?
A. to argue or disagree strongly
B. something extremely difficult to find
C. honest, open, and legitimate
D. to confess fully and openly
Correct Answer: D
“Make a clean breast of” means to confess fully and openly. Example: He made a clean breast of the mistake.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Lose heart”?
A. to become discouraged
B. extremely jealous
C. with all one's belongings
D. wealthy or financially comfortable
Correct Answer: A
“Lose heart” means to become discouraged. Example: Do not lose heart after one failure.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “think carefully before taking action”?
A. Give someone a piece of one's mind
B. Look before you leap
C. Blow hot and cold
D. Get the hang of
Correct Answer: B
“Look before you leap” means think carefully before taking action. Example: Before investing, remember to look before you leap.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Leave well enough alone”?
A. in a difficult situation with very few options
B. unable to know what to do or say
C. to avoid changing something that is already satisfactory
D. to become less active or less important
Correct Answer: C
“Leave well enough alone” means to avoid changing something that is already satisfactory. Example: The system works; we should leave well enough alone.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “His partners left him in the lurch when the business failed.”, what does the idiom “Leave in the lurch” mean?
A. good enough or meeting the required standard
B. very close or equal in a competition
C. to refuse to change one's position or opinion
D. to abandon someone in a difficult situation
Correct Answer: D
“Leave in the lurch” means to abandon someone in a difficult situation. Example: His partners left him in the lurch when the business failed.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Know something inside out”?
A. to know something extremely well
B. to take a dangerous risk
C. to annoy or irritate someone
D. poorly dressed or lacking money
Correct Answer: A
“Know something inside out” means to know something extremely well. Example: He knows the tax rules inside out.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “to work hard and continuously”?
A. Pull strings
B. Keep one's nose to the grindstone
C. Keep the ball rolling
D. Out of one's depth
Correct Answer: B
“Keep one's nose to the grindstone” means to work hard and continuously. Example: She kept her nose to the grindstone until the project was finished.
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Idioms
In the sentence “He worked odd jobs to keep body and soul together.”, what does the idiom “Keep body and soul together” mean?
A. to give a severe warning or reprimand
B. to make a poor or embarrassing impression
C. to survive with only the basic necessities
D. to discuss the most important practical details
Correct Answer: C
“Keep body and soul together” means to survive with only the basic necessities. Example: He worked odd jobs to keep body and soul together.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “In the lurch”?
A. completely dead or no longer active
B. to pay an excessively high price
C. to fail to have the intended effect
D. in a difficult situation without help
Correct Answer: D
“In the lurch” means in a difficult situation without help. Example: The supplier cancelled the order and left us in the lurch.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “In the long run”?
A. over a long period of time; eventually
B. to come to nothing or fail completely
C. to fail to have the intended effect
D. to ignore an unpleasant fact or problem
Correct Answer: A
“In the long run” means over a long period of time; eventually. Example: Regular exercise will benefit you in the long run.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Sales have been in the doldrums for months.”, what does the idiom “In the doldrums” mean?
A. slightly unwell, annoyed, or not feeling one's usual self
B. in a state of low spirits, inactivity, or poor performance
C. a weak or unstable plan or organization likely to collapse
D. to suffer the main force or worst part of something unpleasant
Correct Answer: B
“In the doldrums” means in a state of low spirits, inactivity, or poor performance. Example: Sales have been in the doldrums for months.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “In low spirits”?
A. in serious trouble or difficulty
B. by any possible means
C. sad or discouraged
D. readily available or easily accessible
Correct Answer: C
“In low spirits” means sad or discouraged. Example: He was in low spirits after failing the interview.
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Idioms
Which idiom means “very cheerful and lively”?
A. Dog in the manger
B. Learn the hard way
C. Keep body and soul together
D. In high spirits
Correct Answer: D
“In high spirits” means very cheerful and lively. Example: The children were in high spirits after the victory.