Handout 01 IDIOMS and PHRASES 1. Match the phrase with definition and then fill in the sentences below. 1. To brainstorm a) A small problem or puzzle meant to confuse the brain, usually 2. Brain teaser meant for entertainment. Riddles are a good example. 3. No-brainer b) A very easy question to answer or task to accomplish. In other 4. To brainwash words, something that requires “no brain” to figure out. 5. To pick someone’s brain(s) c) As a medical term, this refers to someone who has literally suffered 6. Brain-dead brain death. As an informal term, it can refer either to something 7. To rack one’s brain(s) very stupid or to someone who cannot think as well as usual 8. The brains behind… because of fatigue, boredom, etc. 9. Have a brain for… d) This expression is another way of referring to someone who has orchestrated something “behind the scenes.” e) To concentrate hard in order to think of or remember something. f) To manipulate the way a person thinks by continually feeding them a certain type of stimulus or putting them in a certain environment. g) To receive information by asking someone about a subject they know about better than you do. h) To spend time, usually with a group of people, spontaneously producing many ideas or solutions to a problem. You could literally think of a “storm” of ideas brewing in one’s brain. i) You have an unusually high aptitude for it, or that your brain is well suited for it. 1. ………………………………………….. all these masterpieces is an artist newly emerging in the New York scene. 2. After a minute of ………………………………………….., he could remember nothing and was forced to leave the answer on the test blank. 3. I can tell you definitely ………………………………………….. languages. I could never catch onto them as quickly as you do. 4. If you really want to …………………………….. your professor’s ……………………………, just go to his office hours. 5. My dad used to give me …………………………………………. all the time when I was little. Sometimes, I think he enjoyed them more than I did. 6. Once you get your formal training, the rest of the job is a ………………………………………….. 7. Some people claim that the media is an easy way to …………………………………………..to public into believing almost anything. 8. The group …………………………………………. for a whole hour with little results. 9. The patient has been ………………………………………….. since 7:36. 2. Fill the gaps in these sentences with a suitable form of HEAD, BRAIN or MIND. 1. She's very good at maths - she has a good……………….. for figures. 2. They were in two……………. whether to get married. 3. If there's an emergency, don't panic - try to keep your …………………………….. 4. We couldn't solve the problem, but suddenly I had a……………………. wave. 5. I'll spin a coin to see - do you want to call……………………or tails? 6. That's too difficult for me to follow - it's over my ……………………… 7. He can't climb a ladder because he has no……………………….. for heights. 8. They were……………………. over heels in love. 9. A good book can help to take your…………………off your troubles. 10. When it comes to politics, I try to keep an open………………………. 11. I'm sorry I didn't make that phone call, it slipped my …………………………….. 12. If there's a problem to solve, two………………….. are better than one. 1 BRING, CARRY, TAKE 3. Complete each sentence with a pronoun and a suitable particle from the list below. apart back out away down round back off up 1 I need my recipe book again, so could you bring it ……………………………………….. to me, please? 2 While your friends are here, bring ……………………………………….. to have a meal at my place. 3 There's a bottle of wine upstairs, could you please bring ……………………………………….. to me? 4 When our glasses were empty we took ……………………………………….. to the kitchen. 5 I'm upstairs and I'd like some tea - could you bring ……………………………………….. to me, please? 6 We don't need these plates any more, you can take……………………………………….. 7 It's not a good idea to take ……………………………………….. if you don't know how to reassemble it. 8 There's a box of empty bottles by the back door, could you carry ……………………………………….., please? 9 The dog picked up the bone and carried ……………………………………….. 4. Rewrite the sentences, replacing the underlined phrases with a suitable phrasal verb or idiom from the list below. bring about get carried away take back take part bring forward carry on with take for granted take a day off bring on carry on with take for granted take to bring out carry out take in take up bring round to take in take-off bring up take on bring up take on BRING 1 He was very upset: I wonder what caused that to happen? 2 She was cared for by her grandparents when her parents split up. 3 Burger Prince have introduced a new product: it's called a Lamburger! 4. After a long discussion I persuaded her to accept my point of view. 5 Why don't you raise the matter for discussion at the meeting tomorrow? 6 Her illness was caused by stress and overwork. 7 Can we arrange our dinner for an earlier time? ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. CARRY 8 Don't worry about me, just continue what you were doing as if I wasn't here. 9 I was very excited when I saw the buffet and took more than I could eat. 10 In the film the main character was having an affair with her brother-in-law. 11 The canteen will be closed until repairs to the kitchen have been done. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. ……………………………………….. TAKE 12 There was so much information that we couldn't absorb it all. ……………………………………….. 13 Looking after five children occupies all their time. ……………………………………….. 14 This job carries a lot of responsibility - are you willing to undertake it? ……………………………………….. 15 Considering his inexperience it's amazing they gave him the job. ……………………………………….. 16 We assumed that you'd want to participate in the game. ……………………………………….. 17 She did a brilliant impression of the boss's voice over the phone but we weren't deceived when she said we could all have a day's holiday. ……………………………………….. 18 She gets very upset when people don't appreciate her. ……………………………………….. 19 As I'd never tried skiing before, I didn't think I'd develop a liking for it. ……………………………………….. 20 I'm sorry I was rude to you - I admit I was wrong in everything I said. ……………………………………….. 2 Life After School 5. Read the article and order paragraphs A—G. It's not always easy to know what to do when you leave school. Alan Jeffries had an egg-citing experience! A ………….. Alan had always been a good student. He had never played truant and had always passed all his exams easily. However, he wasn't ready for university. He enjoyed the freedom too much. He skipped a lot of classes and when he failed to his end of term exams, he was expelled. He said he didn't mind because he was going to drop out anyway. He had decided to take a year out in order to get some experience in the real world. B ………….. Alan resigned before he was sacked. He started doing jobs for family friends again. And that autumn he was back at university studying Law. Maybe you're wondering what Alan does now. Well, believe it or not, he's a health and safety inspector in a large armaments factory. And he never eats eggs. C ………….. Alan was a bit depressed about being out of work, but then, at last, he got a full-time job! It was in an egg factory. He was in charge of the machine that put the packs of eggs into large boxes ready to go to supermarkets around the country. The wages were low and he had to work long hours, but from the beginning, Alan's boss was impressed by his attitude. He clocked in on time, he was always happy to work overtime and he never took any time off. Before long, he had been promoted to a better job. Now he was responsible for driving a fork-lift truck and loading the boxes of eggs onto the supermarket lorries. He quickly became the fastest forklift driver in the factory. He was happy and proud to be earning his living. D ………….. However, they say that pride comes before a fall. And so it was with Alan. One day, he decided to make his job more interesting by seeing how fast he could do it. He set his stopwatch and drove as fast as he could towards the boxes full of His foot was hard down on the accelerator, and the fork-lift was going at top speed, but Alan was sure he was in control. However, he was wrong. He waited one second too long. He hit the brakes but it was too late. The fork-lift crashed into a huge pile of boxes. There was a terrible crunching noise and then silence. When Alan's workmates went to see what had happened, they found Alan standing in the middle of the world's biggest omelette. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but he had broken more than twelve thousand eggs. E ………….. Then he got a part-time job in a tea room. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. On his first day, he put salt in the sugar pot. On his second day he put tabasco sauce in some sandwiches and almost killed an old lady. And on the third day he dropped tray and broke over two dozen cups and saucers. The manager of the tea room asked him to leave. F 1 When Alan Jeffries left school, he wasn't sure what to do. His parents wanted him to go to university to get a degree in Law. "They said that he would have great career opportunities when he graduated. So he took their advice and enrolled at Reading University. G ………….. When he saw all the jobs on offer at the job centre, he was impressed. But it wasn't as easy as he had thought it was going to be to get a job, and he began to wonder if he had made a mistake. He applied for lots of jobs, both permanent and temporary — car mechanic, shop assistant, cook, hairdresser, security guard But he was too young and inexperienced for some and overqualified for others. So he made some money doing odd jobs for family friends — painting a garage, babysitting, washing cars and so on. 6. Find these in the text and work out their meaning from the context. Then use the words to complete the summary expelled (para A) / resigned (para B) / promoted (para C) / part-time (para E) / degree (para F) / career (para F) / graduated (para F) / applied (para G) / odd jobs (para G) After Alan left school, he began a 1) degree in Law. However, he was soon 2) ………………………….. from university. Although he 3) ………………………….. for lots of jobs, he didn't get any. For a while he did some 4) ………………………….. for family friends. And then he got a 5) ………………………….. job in a tea room. That didn't work out and he started working in an egg factory where he was soon 6) ………………………….. to the position of fork-lift driver. Unfortunately, he 7) ………………………….. after an accident. He returned to university and 8) ………………………….. with an Honours degree. Then he began his 9) ………………………….. as a health and safety inspector. 3 7. Read the text again and answer the questions. Underline phrases in the text that answer the questions. 1 Why did Alan not complete his degree the first time he was at university? 2 Was it easy for him to find a job? Why?/ Why not? 3 How did he lose his job in the tea room? 4 How did he feel when he was unemployed? 5 What did Alan do in the egg factory? 6 How did he lose his job in the egg factory? 7 What did Alan do after that? 8 What is he doing now? 8. Match people a—f with sentences 1—6. a) Alan 1. wanted him to study Law. b) the boss of the egg factory 2. said Alan had missed too many classes. c) the manager of the tea room 3. said she couldn't employ Alan any more. d) a university professor 4. told Alan he was giving him a better job. e) a worker in the egg factory 5. said the boss wouldn't be happy with Alan. f) Alan's parents 6. said he was going back to university. 9.Complete questions 1—7 with verbs a—g. Read the article again and check your answers. a drop out c get e play g skip b enrol d pass f sit 1 Do you like to study the night before you ………………………….. an exam? Why/Why not? 2 Which exams do you think you will ………………………….. this term? 3 What do you think should happen to pupils who ………………………….. truant? 4 Are you going to ………………………….. at university when you leave school? 5 What kind or degree would you like to ………………………….. ? 6 Do you think it's alright to ………………………….. some classes at university? Why?/Why not? 7 Why do you think some people ………………………….. of university? 10. Find the words and phrases underlined below in the article and check their meaning. Then match sentences 1—6 with their continuations a—f. 1 I want a permanent full-time position. a And I usually clocked in late, too. 2 Apply for a job in the building industry. b Aren't you a little overqualified? 3 The wages are too low, and I don't like the long hours. c Not a temporary part-time job. 4 Last year I was out of work. d I resign! 5 My boss sacked me because I was always taking time off. e It offers good career opportunities. 6 You graduated with a Physics degree and f Now, I've got a job and I earn a lot of money, now you're in charge of a burger bar! but I have to work a lot of overtime! 11. Complete the sentences. Use the form of the words in capital letters. 1 My colleagues are really depressing to work with — all they do is …………………….. COMPLAINT 2 After fifteen years in the same job, she finally …………………….. and went travelling. RESIGNATION 3 You should do your work well so you can take …………………….. in it. PROUD 4 The research …………………….. that graduates were earning more money. PROOF 5 All companies kept a record of the workers' …………………….. ATTEND 6 When I started my job I had to sign an …………………….. which said that I wouldn't leave within a year. AGREE 7 Free or cheap flights is one of the …………………….. airline workers get. BENEFICIAL 4 12. Complete with appropriate words and then complete the gaps in the sentences. 1) Sally is a welcome ……………………………….. to the advanced Verb Noun Maths class. She shows great promise. ………………………………….. addition 2) Unfortunately, very few students have ………………………………….. admission ……………………………….. for this course, so it will not be possible to run it this term. ………………………………….. application 3) Could you give me some advice on how to ………………………………….. enrolment ……………………………….. a team interview? ………………………………….. expulsion 4) If you are interested in these job opportunities, please ………………………………….. graduation download an ……………………………….. form from our company website. ………………………………….. survival 5) Students who are unable to be present on ………………………………….. threat ……………………………….. day should collect their degree certificates from this office. 13. Complete the text with words from the lists. airport runway / armaments factory / careers guidance / fork-lift truck / health and safety inspector / job centre / school-leavers / window cleaner / workmate / training scheme When I left school, I needed to earn some money so I went to the local 1) ………………………………….. . I explained that I wasn't looking for 2) …………………………….. ; I would do any job with long hours, overtime and good pay. The advisor told me that there were temporary jobs for unskilled workers at the local 3) …………………………… , but I didn't want to be indoors all day and I wasn't keen on working with missiles, bombs, guns or explosives! I didn't want a job as a 4) ………………………………….. either — I can't stand heights! Then she told me that the local airport was advertising for strong, young 5) ………………………………….. to carry passengers’ suitcases and bags to the planes. I went along, had an interview and the next day I clocked in at 6 a.m. to start work. My job was to lift suitcases on to a 6) ………………………………….. which the driver then took to the plane. When a plane landed, I walked across the 7) ………………………………….. and took the passengers’ bags off the plane. After a week, a 8) ………………………………….. visited the airfield and said that I wasn't lifting the cases properly! She insisted that my 9) ………………………………….. and I should go on 10) ………………………………….. to learn how to lift heavy things. armaments / charge / degree / expel / fence / headline / inexperienced / overqualified / permanent / pride / promote / resign / row / sacked / salary / temporary / tray / wages / workmates 1. My brother did a ………………………………….. in economics at the University of London. 2. Friday is my pay day. finally get my ………………………………….. . 3. Be careful! One waiter was ………………………………….. just because he broke a glass. 4. It's not a ………………………………….. job. You'll work there for only two months. 5. With your experience we think you’re a bit ………………………………….. for this job. 6. All my ………………………………….. leave the office at 5. I am the only one who works long hours. 7. She decided to …………………………………. after working there for three years. 8. Jack is our best worker. Let's …………………………………. him to shop manager. 9. Who's in …………………………………. of your school? 10. Are you satisfied with your monthly ………………………………….? 11. This company employs students. It's true that they are a bit …………………………………. but they're cheap. 12. They wanted to …………………………………. Monica when she was caught cheating in the Maths exam. 13. Put the cups and saucers on that big …………………………………. . 5 accelerator / benefits / front row / human error / odd jobs / reputable 1 Slow down! quake your foot off the…………………………………..! 2 I don't like sitting in the ……………………….. ………………………….. at the cinema — it's too near the screen. 3 If you are buying something from the Internet, make sure it's a ………………………………….. site or your money may be stolen. 4 A lot of accidents are caused by ………………………………….. 5 One of the ………………………………….. of teaching is the long holidays. 6 I usually do ………………………….. ………………………….. like ironing and paying bills on Sunday evenings. 14. Complete the text with one word in each gap. The first letter has been given. When I was younger, I often used to lay t…………………….. from school and hang around in the shopping mall instead. I was such a bad student that, eventually, I was e……………………………. . I didn't mind, though as I didn’t want to there anyway. I didn't have any qualifications, but I did a few o………………. j………………. for friends. After a while I got a p……………..-t……………………. job in a factory, working three days a week. I wasn't very happy there and thought I would be s………………………………. for being late so often. When the manager called me into the office, though, I was surprised to be p…………………………….. to a better job with more responsibility. Now I've got a good c……………………….. and might even be a manager myself one day. 1. What's the s…………………… limit in a city? 2. How does your boyfriend e………………………… a living? 3. When he was unemployed, he did all kinds of o………………….. jobs for his friends. 4. Parents always tell their children that they didn't p………………… truant when they were at school. 5. When will you s………………………. your end-of-term exams? 6. He works in an office, which is a so-called w……………….-collar job. 7. I'm going to t…………………. a year off to travel and see the world. 8. B……………………..-collar jobs, e.g. being a waiter or a shop assistant, aren't well paid. 9. How often do you have to w…………………… overtime in a week? 10. When my parents find out that I s…………………….. classes, I'll be in trouble. 11. After graduating from school, I'm planning to e………………………. at the local college. 12. Alan didn't like studying, so he decided to d…………………….. out of university. 13. Your son doesn't p……………………………. attention in class. 15. Match the words with definitions and then complete the sentences with some of the words. work experience …………………………. (adj) describes someone who avoids work because they don't like it work permit …………………………. (n) flat surface for preparing food in a kitchen work sheet …………………………. (n) a midday meeting when you eat and discuss work working lunch …………………………. (n) a period of physical exercise workload ……………………. (n) a period of time when a student works somewhere to gain experience workmate …………………………. (n) a person you work with workout …………………………. (n) a piece of paper with questions and exercises for students work-shy …………………………. (n) an official document that allows you to work in a foreign country work-surface …………………………. (n) the amount of work you have to do 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. I’m getting some …………………………………. in a hotel because I want to work in tourism. Junior doctors in Britain have a heavy …………………………………. - about eighty hours a week. Some Japanese companies start the day with a …………………………………. so their workers are healthy. Will I need a …………………………………. if I want to work in Canada in my gap year? You're not ill, so get up and go to work! You're ………………………………….! 6
