English Idioms: Quiz
There are 15
questions to complete.
Question 1
|
My best friend dated my
brother for five years. They just split up two weeks ago - it was a bad
breakup, and now I'm walking on eggshell saround both of them.
"Walking on eggshells" means:
A
|
being very
cautious so as not to upset or offend someone
|
B
|
helping
two people resolve a conflict
|
C
|
|
Question 2
|
|
My cousin gave me a free plane
ticket to Hawaii, and my boss gave me two weeks off to travel. I just found out
my favorite band is doing a show in Hawaii at the same time I'll be there -
that's just the icing on the cake!
If something is "the icing on the cake," it
is...
A
|
a perfect
opportunity to have fun
|
B
|
an unexpected coincidence
|
C
|
an
additional benefit to something that is already good
|
Question 3
|
The Yankees are the best
baseball team of all time. The proof is in the pudding -
they've won more championships than any sports franchise in history.
"The proof is in the pudding" means...
A
|
it is
impossible to lose
|
B
|
they have
a big advantage
|
C
|
you can be
sure that something is true if it is tested
|
Question 4
|
|
I'm currently taking 6 college
courses in addition to working full-time. That means I'm busy every day from 6
AM to 11 PM, and I'm getting behind on my schoolwork. I think I bit off
more than I could chew this semester.
"I bit off more than I could chew" means...
A
|
I eat too
much and don't exercise enough
|
B
|
I took on
more responsibilities than I can handle
|
C
|
I don't
have a good social life
|
Question 5
|
Changing a country's
trajectory takes time - the economic policies enacted three years ago are just
now beginning to bear fruit. To "bear fruit" means...
A
|
become popular
|
B
|
finish
|
C
|
produce successful results
|
Question 6
|
|
When the salesman starts
talking about how buying an expensive new car will make your life really great,
you should take it with a grain of salt.
"Take it with a grain of salt" means...
A
|
bargain
for a better price
|
B
|
not
believe it to be completely true or correct
|
C
|
agree enthusiastically
|
Question 7
|
I don't trust that newspaper.
Their reporting isn't very balanced; they tend to cherry-pick the
information in favor of one particular political party.
To "cherry-pick" means...
A
|
to choose
only specific items (the best parts) and ignore the rest
|
B
|
have a positive attitude
|
C
|
write
about very recent events without considering the history
|
Question 8
|
|
My friends went to the art
museum, but I decided to come to the beach instead. Contemplating paintings for
hours is not really my cup of tea.
If something is "not your cup of tea,"...
A
|
it makes
your stomach hurt
|
B
|
you've
never done it before
|
C
|
you don't
like it very much
|
Question 9
|
I was sick and couldn't go to
the party. Don't rub salt in the wound by telling me how great
it was.
To "rub salt in the wound" means...
A
|
to talk
too much about one topic
|
B
|
to make a
sad person feel even worse
|
C
|
to help a
sick person feel better
|
Question
10
|
|
My 3-year-old daughter already
knows how to use the computer. She's one sharp cookie!
Describing someone as a "sharp cookie" means
the person is...
A
|
enthusiastic
|
B
|
intelligent
|
C
|
very young
|
Question
11
|
Did you hear about the
grandmother who chased a robber out of her house with a kitchen knife? What a tough
cookie!
Describing someone as a "tough cookie" means
the person is...
A
|
courageous and strong
|
B
|
aggressive and violent
|
C
|
Crazy
|
Question
12
|
|
That math test was a
piece of cake. I didn't even study and I bet I got every question right.
If something is "a piece of cake," it
means...
A
|
it's very easy
|
B
|
it's enjoyable
|
C
|
it's delicious
|
Question
13
|
Diana kept pressuring Bill to
tell her how much he paid for the engagement ring, but he refused to spill
the beans.
To "spill the beans" means...
A
|
to buy something
|
B
|
to reveal secret information
|
C
|
to help someone understand
|
Question
14
|
|
Our company needs to pay back
a loan from the bank, but business has been slow. If we don't get more
customers by the end of the year, we'll really be in a pickle.
Being "in a pickle" means...
A
|
being in a
difficult situation
|
B
|
earning no money
|
C
|
not having
a good future
|
Question
15
|
That book was written 50 years
ago, but it's still very applicable today. You should read it - it definitely
provides some food for thought.
"Food for thought" is...
A
|
historical data
|
B
|
information worth considering
|
C
|
strong evidence
|
Practice Quiz
Question 1
I bought my mother-in-law an
expensive box of chocolates for her birthday, but I just found out she's on a
diet. All the stores are closed and her birthday is tomorrow. I'm really
_______.
A cherry-picking
B in a pickle
C a sharp cookie
Question 2
The first time I met my boyfriend's parents, I
__________ because I knew their political views were very different from
mine.
A bit off more than I
could chew
B took it with a grain
of salt
C was walking on
eggshells
Question 3
Don't worry - you'll learn how to use this
computer program in no time. It's __________.
A a piece of cake
B bearing fruit
C proof is in the
pudding
Question 4
I started college studying psychology, but
then I discovered it _________ - so I switched to biology.
A was food for thought
B rubbed salt in the
wound
C wasn't my cup of tea
Question 5
My project was extremely successful - and
getting interviewed on TV about it was _______.
A in a pickle
B my cup of tea
C the icing on the
cake
Question 6
How did the media find out about our company's
secret new product?! One of our employees must have ________.
A cherry-picked
B spilled the beans
C walked on eggshells
Question 7
I didn't think I would enjoy
the poetry reading, but I'm glad I went. It gave me a lot of ____________.
A food for thought
B pieces of cake
C grains of salt
Question 8
You can't just ___________ the statistics that
are in line with your viewpoint. There are a lot of studies that support the
opposite view.
A cherry-pick
B spill the beans
C take it with a grain
of salt
Question 9
My efforts to eat healthier food
are finally ___________ - I lost eight pounds this month.
A bearing fruit
B icing on the cake
C a tough cookie
Question 10
I shouldn't have volunteered to help organize
the company's Christmas party on top of all my other work. It's a big ordeal
and I feel like _____________.
A I'm walking on
eggshells
B I've bitten off more
than I can chew
C I've spilled the
beans