IDIOM
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
1. My new colleague is quite a rough
but I think we can cooperate well on our assigned
projects.
A. stone
B. rock
C. diamond
D. ruby
2. You would understand my feelings of betrayal if you were in my
.
A. shoes
B. shirt
C. socks
D. pants
3. He is not the type who can stay one place for long. He always gets
feet and starts a new
journey again.
A. chilly
B. itchy
C. painful
D. shaky
4. It is pointless to persuade him - a
can't change its spots.
A. tiger
B. lion
C. leopard
D. wolf
5. I haven’t seen my old primary teachers in
years – I wonder how she has been.
A. donkey’s
B. monkey’s
C. rooster’s
D. pigeon’s
6. Just grab a green tea biscuit. It is
.
A. on the house
B. on the shelf
C. off the record
D. in public
7. I caught the last train to my hometown by the skin of my
.
A. arm
B. neck
C. nose
D. teeth
8. All of these assignments have tired me out; let's
and grab some cold drinks.
A. make up our mind
B. call it a day
C. get back to the drawing board
D. burn the midnight oil
9. The situations have been bad lately, Peter, but keep your
up; things will soon clear up.
A. chin
B. head
C. nose
D. mind
10. Those lipsticks are selling like
since many fans want to the products that their idols
endorse.
A. burning pancakes
B. fresh shrimps
C. hot cakes
D. morning coffee
11. She hasn’t been in traffic accident yet but she’s had a number of
shaves.
A. narrow
B. small
C. close
D. low
12. My brother can’t keep his hands off the broom. He always thinks his room is unclean – he really
has
in his bonnet about it.
A. a butterfly
B. a bee
C. a fly
D. an ant
13. My father has a quick temper and easily
off the handle.
A. walks
B. rockets
C. runs
D. flies
14. I was about to go to the concerts in Seoul all by myself, but at the last minute I
and decided
to stay home.
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A. pulled my finger out
B. got cold feet
C. hit the roof
D. paid through the nose
15. Since he started his own business he has been making money hand over
.
A. fist
B. heel
C. arm
D. leg
16. My English is progressing by
.
A. odds and ends
B. ends and odds
C. leaps and bounds
D. bounds and leaps
17. Please don’t
it amiss if I make a few suggestions for improvement.
A. assume
B. judge
C. think
D. take
18. For the first time the young scientist was given the award
her work with animals.
A. on recognition for
B. in recognition with
C. in recognition for
D. in recognition of
19. His flat looks so
that it is difficult to believe he just had a party last night.
A. safe and sound
B. sick and tired
C. spick and span
D. by and large
20. I’m not surprised that Tom is ill. He’s been
for a long time. It was bound to affect his health
sooner or later.
A. having his cake and eating it
B. burning the candle at both ends
C. playing with fire
D. going to town
21. Just
, Bill! Let’s think about this for a moment before making your mind.
A. pulled your finger out
B. got cold feet
C. held your horses
D. called it a day
22. I didn’t suspect anything at first, but when I noticed her going through the office drawers I
began to smell a
.
A. rat
B. pig
C. thief
D. culprit
23. When Sarah walked into the room and greeted everyone with a cheery ‘’hello’’, it seemed as if all
the gloom in that place was
.
A. vanished
B. ejected
C. driven out
D. expelled
24. Before she left for Australia she promised her parents that she would drop them
at least
once a month.
A. a note
B. a word
C. the news
D. a line
25. “What I’ve got to say to you now is strictly_
and most certainly not for
publication,” said the government official to the reporter.
A. beside the point
B. for the time being
C. by the way
D. off the record
26.The President visited the area to see the devastation
.
A. on first hand
B. at first hand
C. on first hands
D. at first hands
27.A good stereo system doesn't have to cost
and
. You can find on
for a reasonable price.
A. an arm - a leg
B. a hand - a leg
C. a finger - a toe
D. a hand - a foot
28.Without written evidence, we don't have a
on.
A. leg to stand
B. foot to stand
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C. leg to lean
D. foot to lean
29. Living by the ocean really
your
. Once you've lived there, you never want to leave.
A. came in - heart
B. get in - blood
C. get in - heart
D. came in - blood
30.
, Carlos is very punctual, but he was late tonight.
A. For a rule
B. Like a rule
C. As a rule
D. For a rule of thump
31.Their team won the game, but they
dominated it. It was a very close game.
A. at no means
B. by not means
C. not with any means
D. by no means
32.I was taking a quiet walk last night when,
, there wa a loud explosion.
A. all in all
B. all at once
C. suddenly at once
D. once at all
33.We'll start very soon. Roll up your
.
A. sleeves
B. hands
C. pants
D. shirt
34.Prevention is better than
.
A. treatment
B. pills
C. cure
D. doctors
35. Everything could be done by
.
A. a nod and bow
B. a nod and wink
C. a wink and a nod
D. a nod and a wink
36. These workers are at the
of the economic
.
A. line - heap
B. heap - bottom
C. bottom - heap
D. heap - line
37. Tickets are available on a first come,
basis.
A. first got
B. early served
C. first served
D. early got
38. It does my
to see the old place being taken care of so well.
A. heart well
B. heart good
C. head well
D. head good
39. Just take one job and do your best. Don't be a jack
.
A. for all trades
B. of all tracks
C. of all trades
D. for all jobs
40. I don't have much cash
, but I can get some from an automatic teller machine.
A. in hand
B. on hand
C. into hand
D. under hand
41. "I like that painting you bought. Did it cost much?" "No, the artist sold it to me for
."
A. close to nothing
B. next to anything
C. next to nothing
D. anything next
42. "When will you be informed of the test results?" "Not until Monday, so I'll be
all weekend."
A. at needles and pins
B. on pins and needles
C. on needles and pins
D. at pins and needles
43. "What's Peter's cousin's name?" "It's on the tip of my
, but I can't quite
remember."
A. mouth
B. lips
C. tongue
D. memory
44. What a confusing story! I can't make
of it.
A. sense
B. meaning
C. logic
D. understanding
45. Many rare and precious species are now
the verge of extinction.
A. in
B. on
C. from
D. by
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46. The overall aim of the book is to help bridge the gap between theory and practice,
particularly in language teaching.
The phrase “bridge the gap” is closest in meaning to
.
A. minimize the limitations
B. construct a bridge
C. reduce the differences
D. increase the understanding
47. I don’t like a few things about my job, but
it is quite enjoyable.
A. by and large
B. by mistake
C. sooner or later
D. what is more
48. It is
for us to do anything about the chaotic traffic.
A. out of date B. without delay
C. out of the question
D. out of order
49. I just couldn’t remember her name even though it was on the
of my tongue.
A. edge
B. tip
C. top
D. front
50. When you do something, you should
.
A. get through to it
B. turn over a new leaf
C. weigh up the pros and cons
D. go down well with
51. I realized
that he was a thief.
A. sooner or later
B. all along
C. at the beginning
D. eventually
52. Even if you are rich, you should save some money for a
day.
A. windy
B. stormy
C. rainy
D. cloudy
53. I do wish you’d stop biting your nails, John. It really
.
A. lets me down
B. tells me off
C. gets me down
D. gets on my nerves
54. My father
when he found out that I’d damaged the car.
A. hit the roof
B. saw pink elephants
C. made my blood boil
D. brought the house down
55. I really must go and lie down for a while; I’ve gone a
headache.
A. cutting
B. cracking
C. exploding
D. splitting
56. Stop
about the bush, John! Just tell me exactly what the problem is.
A. beating
B. rushing
C. hiding
D. coming
57. We spent the entire day looking for a new apartment.
The phrase “the entire day” is closest in meaning to
.
A. all day long
B. the long day
C. all long day
D. day after day
58. I was already fed up with the job, but when the boss walked into my office and told me he
expected me to work overtime that was the
.
A. final curtain
B. last straw
C. end of the line
D. last waltz
59. Li has
; he loves cakes, chocolates, ice-cream-anything which is sweet.
A. a sweet mouth
B. sweet lips
C. a sweet tongue
D. a sweet tooth
60. I accidentally
Mike when I was crossing a street downtown yesterday.
A. kept an eye on
B. lost touch with
C. paid attention to
D. caught sight of
61. If you want a flat in the center of the city you have to pay through the
for it.
A. teeth
B. back of your head
C. nose
D. arm
62. Those smart phones are selling like
. If you want one, you’d better buy one now before
they’re all gone.
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A. shooting stars
B. fresh bread
C. hot cakes
D. wild oats
63. She was so frightened that she was shaking like
.
A. a leaf
B. the wind
C. a flag
D. jelly
64. Peter was born and brought up in Hastings and knows it like the
.
A. nose on his face
B. tip of the tongue
C. back of his hand
D. hair on his head
65. What’s wrong with you today? Did you get out of bed on the wrong
?
A. end
B. foot
C. side
D. edge
66. “What’s wrong with Tom today? He’s unusually quiet,” “He’s got something on his
expect”.
A. brain
B. mind
C. thoughts
D. brow
67. He was wearing very shabby, dirty clothes and looked very
.
A. easy- going
B. down to earth
C. out of shape
D. down at heel
68. Since he started his own business he has been making money hand over
.
A. fist
B. heel
C. head
D. palm
69. I can’t see us beating them at tennis this year- we’re so out of
.
A. step
B. practice
C. fitness
D. breath
70. It finally
home to me that it was time to buy a place of my own.
A. arrived
B. came
C. hit
D. reached
71. Don’t try to bite off more than you can
I am afraid you are not so talented.
A. take
B. swallow
C. hold
D. chew
72. I am trying to _
for the sundial in the back garden.
A. make allowance for
B. make up
C. put up
D. make room
73. Christy’s father could not afford to send him to school because he was
.
A. in high spirit
B. at loss
C. on approval
D. in debt
74. The worried man walked
in the corridor waiting for the announcement.
A. back and fro
B. to and forth
C. to and fro
D. to and back
74.
wait for no man.
A. Tide and fire
B. Time and tide
C. Time and fire
D. Tide and time
75. Peter was born and brought up in Hasting and he knows it like the _
.
A. nose on his face
B. tip of his tongue
C. back of his hand
D. hair on his head
76. Do I have to
my age?
A. do
B. follow
C. act
D. see
77. A journalist is
on a politician in order to damage the politician’s image.
A. digging his own grave
B. digging up dirt
C. digging up out of the earth
D. digging it out
78. Nothing
the ordinary ever happens here.
A. out of
B. within
C. from
D. about
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79. An accident of this magnitude could easily bring the factory’s production to a
.
A. halt
B. quit
C. stay
D. block
80. The company can’t expect me to move my home and family at the drop of
.
A. blood
B. a water
C. rain
D. at hat
81. He longs
to see his family again.
A. above all
B. all of a sudden
C. as a rule
D. all at once
82. What’s wrong with you today? Did you get out of bed on the wrong
?
A. edge
B. foot
C. side
D. end
83. The issue is still
discussion?
A. in
B. on
C. under
D. for
84. I applied for the job
the off chance, but I did not seriously expect to get it.
A. with
B. on
C. by
D. for
85. After their argument, John didn’t know if Rick was a friend or a
A. friend
B. rival
C. blood
D. foe
86. We’re
if we continue with genetic modification of our food.
A. playing out of our skin
B. playing with fire
C. playing over
D. adding fuel to the fire
87. Sitting uncomfortably among many people he didn’t know, Joe was like
.
A. water off a duck’s back
B. a fish out of water
C. a duck to water
D. water under the bridge
88. They agreed to the changes
that they would be introduced gradually.
A. with the conditions
B. by the comprehension
C. for the interpretation
D. on the understanding
89. Losing my job was a
. I never would have found this one if it hadn’t happened.
A. bleeding heart
B. breath of fresh air
C. blessing in disguise
D. bone to pick with
90. William is an authority
medieval tapestries.
A. on
B. with
C. about
D. in
91. I don’t like turning down work, but I’ll have to, I’m afraid I’ve got far too much
at the
moment.
A. on my plate
B. in effect
C. on my mind
D. up my sleeves
92. Unemployment threat has been
for a while now.
A. daunting on the lookout
B. intimidating on the air
C. overwhelming on the wing
D. looming on the horizon
93. We may win, we may lose – it’s just the luck of the
.
A. draw
B. odd
C. fate
D. chance
94. I’ve been doing my best to reduce the backlog, but I must admit that I’ve hardly put
in
the problem so far.
A. a foot
B. a dent
C. a brave face
D. damper
95. The police are
certain who the culprit is.
A. in some ways
B. here and there
C. more or less
D. by and by
96. Luggage may be placed here
the owner’s risk.
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A. at
B. by
C. under
D. with
97. Mr. Nixon refused to answer the questions on the
that the matter was confidential.
A. reasons
B. excuses
C. grounds
D. foundations
98. Joe was shocked when I disagreed with her. She’s so used to getting her own
.
A. mind
B. way
C. opinion
D. views
99. We need to discuss the
and bolts of the proposal before going any further.
A. component
B. nuts
C. summary
D. details
100. When I got my case back, it had been damaged
repair.
A. over
B. further
C. above
D. beyond
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