CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “to manage expenses with the available income”?
A. On tenterhooks
B. Turn over a new leaf
C. A penny for your thoughts
D. Make both ends meet
Correct Answer: D
“Make both ends meet” means to manage expenses with the available income. Example: They struggle to make both ends meet.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Lion's share”?
A. caught while committing a wrongdoing
B. at the last possible moment
C. the largest part of something
D. to spoil someone's enjoyment or enthusiasm
Correct Answer: C
“Lion's share” means the largest part of something. Example: The senior partner received the lion's share of the profit.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “He keeps dishonest people at arm's length.”, what does the idiom “Keep at arm's length” mean?
A. to avoid saying what one really means
B. to avoid becoming too close or friendly
C. to understand a hidden or implied meaning
D. during both good and bad times
Correct Answer: B
“Keep at arm's length” means to avoid becoming too close or friendly. Example: He keeps dishonest people at arm's length.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Hold one's horses”?
A. to wait and be patient
B. to watch or monitor carefully
C. uncertain or not yet decided
D. in a very short time
Correct Answer: A
“Hold one's horses” means to wait and be patient. Example: Hold your horses; the announcement is coming soon.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Go through fire and water”?
A. to begin behaving in a better or more responsible way
B. pursuing the wrong course or blaming the wrong person
C. to waste time on trivial matters during a serious crisis
D. to face any hardship or danger for someone or something
Correct Answer: D
“Go through fire and water” means to face any hardship or danger for someone or something. Example: She would go through fire and water for her family.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Arguing over decorations during the emergency was like fiddling while Rome burned.”, what does the idiom “Fiddle while Rome burns” mean?
A. a costly possession or project that is useless or burdensome
B. to calm down and regain control of your emotions
C. to waste time on trivial matters during a serious crisis
D. the advantages of two different situations at the same time
Correct Answer: C
“Fiddle while Rome burns” means to waste time on trivial matters during a serious crisis. Example: Arguing over decorations during the emergency was like fiddling while Rome burned.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Fair-weather friend”?
A. to have a selfish reason or hidden personal interest in an issue
B. a friend who is loyal only when things are going well
C. to waste time on trivial matters during a serious crisis
D. living with only enough money or food for immediate needs
Correct Answer: B
“Fair-weather friend” means a friend who is loyal only when things are going well. Example: He disappeared when I needed help, proving to be a fair-weather friend.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “to raise a false alarm repeatedly”?
A. Cry wolf
B. Add fuel to the fire
C. Put the cart before the horse
D. Take with a grain of salt
Correct Answer: A
“Cry wolf” means to raise a false alarm repeatedly. Example: If you keep crying wolf, nobody will believe you when danger is real.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Carry the day”?
A. pursuing the wrong course or blaming the wrong person
B. to earn enough to avoid hunger or serious financial hardship
C. to deal with a problem only when it actually arises
D. to win or succeed in a contest, argument, or decision
Correct Answer: D
“Carry the day” means to win or succeed in a contest, argument, or decision. Example: The reform proposal carried the day.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “By leaps and bounds”?
A. practical, realistic, and unpretentious
B. to sound familiar
C. very rapidly
D. in trouble or facing criticism
Correct Answer: C
“By leaps and bounds” means very rapidly. Example: Her English improved by leaps and bounds.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Burn one's fingers”?
A. alert, competent, and quick to understand or act
B. to suffer because of involvement in something risky
C. to face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely
D. to achieve two objectives with one action
Correct Answer: B
“Burn one's fingers” means to suffer because of involvement in something risky. Example: He burned his fingers in a speculative business deal.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “Teaching is her bread and butter.”, what does the idiom “Bread and butter” mean?
A. one's main source of income or livelihood
B. to understand a hidden or implied meaning
C. to have the same understanding or agreement
D. to reverse a situation in one's favor
Correct Answer: A
“Bread and butter” means one's main source of income or livelihood. Example: Teaching is her bread and butter.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Bone of contention”?
A. to make more effort than is expected
B. to achieve two objectives with one action
C. to understand a hidden or implied meaning
D. a subject that causes disagreement or argument
Correct Answer: D
“Bone of contention” means a subject that causes disagreement or argument. Example: The boundary issue remains a bone of contention.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
Which idiom means “a person who is greatly loved or cherished”?
A. In the same boat
B. Speak of the devil
C. Apple of one's eye
D. The ball is in your court
Correct Answer: C
“Apple of one's eye” means a person who is greatly loved or cherished. Example: His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “A white elephant”?
A. to experience the same unpleasant treatment one has given others
B. a costly possession or project that is useless or burdensome
C. pursuing the wrong course or blaming the wrong person
D. to postpone an invitation or plan until another time
Correct Answer: B
“A white elephant” means a costly possession or project that is useless or burdensome. Example: The unused stadium became a white elephant.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
In the sentence “He wears his heart on his sleeve, so everyone knows when he is upset.”, what does the idiom “Wear your heart on your sleeve” mean?
A. to show your emotions openly
B. an unbelievable or absurd story
C. do something slowly and carefully
D. in trouble or facing criticism
Correct Answer: A
“Wear your heart on your sleeve” means to show your emotions openly. Example: He wears his heart on his sleeve, so everyone knows when he is upset.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Wash one's hands of”?
A. the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
B. to set a limit on what is acceptable
C. in a hurry to finish before a deadline
D. to refuse further responsibility for someone or something
Correct Answer: D
“Wash one's hands of” means to refuse further responsibility for someone or something. Example: After repeated warnings, she washed her hands of the matter.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Turn over a new leaf”?
A. a lot of anger or excitement about a trivial matter
B. a costly possession or project that is useless or burdensome
C. to begin behaving in a better or more responsible way
D. I do not know any more than you do
Correct Answer: C
“Turn over a new leaf” means to begin behaving in a better or more responsible way. Example: He decided to turn over a new leaf and study seriously.
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Idioms
In the sentence “His repeated absence was the last straw.”, what does the idiom “The last straw” mean?
A. to leave without permission or without saying goodbye
B. the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
C. to refuse further responsibility for someone or something
D. to understand how a job or system works
Correct Answer: B
“The last straw” means the final problem that makes a situation unbearable. Example: His repeated absence was the last straw.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Idioms
What is the meaning of the idiom “Take to task”?
A. to criticize or scold someone for a fault
B. to calm down and regain control of your emotions
C. someone dependent on others cannot be overly selective
D. said when the person being discussed unexpectedly appears
Correct Answer: A
“Take to task” means to criticize or scold someone for a fault. Example: The officer took the clerk to task for negligence.