CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Above board”?
A. honest, open, and legitimate
B. wealthy or financially comfortable
C. to deteriorate badly
D. to annoy or irritate someone
Correct Answer: A
“Above board” means honest, open, and legitimate. Example: All of the company's dealings were above board.
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Idioms
In the sentence “From the tense meeting, it was clear that a storm was brewing.”, what does the idiom “A storm is brewing” mean?
A. to fail to remember or find an answer
B. trouble or conflict appears likely to happen soon
C. to speak foolishly or without knowing the facts
D. hostility or ill feeling between people or groups
Correct Answer: B
“A storm is brewing” means trouble or conflict appears likely to happen soon. Example: From the tense meeting, it was clear that a storm was brewing.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A needle in a haystack”?
A. wealthy or financially comfortable
B. to become independent and self-reliant
C. something extremely difficult to find
D. to make every possible effort
Correct Answer: C
“A needle in a haystack” means something extremely difficult to find. Example: Finding that old receipt was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “a person with little substance, strength, or influence”?
A. A flash in the pan
B. Keep one's cards close to one's chest
C. Blow hot and cold
D. A man of straw
Correct Answer: D
“A man of straw” means a person with little substance, strength, or influence. Example: The supposed leader was merely a man of straw.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Without proper funding, the project was a house of cards.”, what does the idiom “A house of cards” mean?
A. a weak or unstable plan or organization likely to collapse
B. to make someone eager to spend money they have
C. to take something to a place where it is already plentiful
D. to offer something valuable to someone unable to appreciate it
Correct Answer: A
“A house of cards” means a weak or unstable plan or organization likely to collapse. Example: Without proper funding, the project was a house of cards.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A hard nut to crack”?
A. criticizing someone for a fault that one also has
B. a difficult person or problem to understand or solve
C. trouble or conflict appears likely to happen soon
D. to admit that what one said was wrong
Correct Answer: B
“A hard nut to crack” means a difficult person or problem to understand or solve. Example: This puzzle is a hard nut to crack.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A flash in the pan”?
A. to obey rules or conform to expected standards
B. to fail to remember or find an answer
C. something that is briefly successful but does not last
D. working very closely together, often secretly or dishonestly
Correct Answer: C
“A flash in the pan” means something that is briefly successful but does not last. Example: The singer's first hit was a flash in the pan.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “His explanation for the missing money sounded like a fishy story.”, what does the idiom “A fishy story” mean?
A. good enough or meeting the required standard
B. to fail to have the intended effect
C. to make a poor or embarrassing impression
D. a story that sounds suspicious or unbelievable
Correct Answer: D
“A fishy story” means a story that sounds suspicious or unbelievable. Example: His explanation for the missing money sounded like a fishy story.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A dark horse”?
A. a person whose abilities or chances are little known but may surprise others
B. to rely on past achievements instead of continuing to work
C. to get into trouble with a person, rule, or authority
D. a tendency to feel resentful because of a perceived disadvantage or grievance
Correct Answer: A
“A dark horse” means a person whose abilities or chances are little known but may surprise others. Example: The quiet candidate proved to be a dark horse in the election.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “a narrow escape from danger or trouble”?
A. Well off
B. A close shave
C. Blow hot and cold
D. Spick and span
Correct Answer: B
“A close shave” means a narrow escape from danger or trouble. Example: Missing the falling branch by seconds was a close shave.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “With flying colors”?
A. good luck
B. very successfully
C. to go to bed
D. in private or secretly
Correct Answer: B
“With flying colors” means very successfully. Example: She passed the examination with flying colors.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The team turned the tables in the second half.”, what does the idiom “Turn the tables” mean?
A. to reverse a situation in one's favor
B. to have the same understanding or agreement
C. to do things in the wrong order
D. a subject that causes disagreement or argument
Correct Answer: A
“Turn the tables” means to reverse a situation in one's favor. Example: The team turned the tables in the second half.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Take French leave”?
A. the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
B. a request to know what someone is thinking
C. a person's basic nature is unlikely to change
D. to leave without permission or without saying goodbye
Correct Answer: D
“Take French leave” means to leave without permission or without saying goodbye. Example: The worker took French leave before the shift ended.
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Idioms
Which idiom means “to behave cowardly or show fear”?
A. Smell a rat
B. On tenterhooks
C. Show the white feather
D. Rain cats and dogs
Correct Answer: C
“Show the white feather” means to behave cowardly or show fear. Example: The soldier refused to show the white feather.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Set the Thames on fire”?
A. during both good and bad times
B. to do something extraordinary or remarkable
C. to joke with or tease someone
D. everything possible or the full extent
Correct Answer: B
“Set the Thames on fire” means to do something extraordinary or remarkable. Example: He is competent but unlikely to set the Thames on fire.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “It was raining cats and dogs all evening.”, what does the idiom “Rain cats and dogs” mean?
A. to rain very heavily
B. in trouble or facing criticism
C. to show your emotions openly
D. very different from
Correct Answer: A
“Rain cats and dogs” means to rain very heavily. Example: It was raining cats and dogs all evening.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Put a spoke in someone's wheel”?
A. everything possible or the full extent
B. to release strong emotions or stress
C. to do something extraordinary or remarkable
D. to obstruct or prevent someone's plan
Correct Answer: D
“Put a spoke in someone's wheel” means to obstruct or prevent someone's plan. Example: Unexpected regulations put a spoke in their wheel.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Play second fiddle”?
A. to become nervous and back out of something
B. alert, competent, and quick to understand or act
C. to have a less important or subordinate role
D. said when the person being discussed unexpectedly appears
Correct Answer: C
“Play second fiddle” means to have a less important or subordinate role. Example: He disliked playing second fiddle to a younger colleague.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “The old machine is on its last legs.”, what does the idiom “On one's last legs” mean?
A. to have the same understanding or agreement
B. very weak, worn out, or near failure
C. to face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely
D. to end a quarrel and make peace
Correct Answer: B
“On one's last legs” means very weak, worn out, or near failure. Example: The old machine is on its last legs.
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Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Nip in the bud”?
A. to stop a problem at an early stage before it grows
B. to experience the same unpleasant treatment one has given others
C. to postpone an invitation or plan until another time
D. to waste time on trivial matters during a serious crisis
Correct Answer: A
“Nip in the bud” means to stop a problem at an early stage before it grows. Example: The manager nipped the conflict in the bud.