UNIT 5

(Bridging the gap)

Part 1: Match

1. Turn blue with cold a. Give special attention to an important

2. Like a red rag to a bull visitor
3. Roll/lay out the red carpet b. Sth that makes sb very angry
4. Not as black as sb/it is painted c. Go away unexpectedly, disappear
5. Swear black is white suddenly
6. Go off into the blue d. Say sth is true when it is not
e. Feel very cold
f. Not as bad as people say

Part 2: Fill in each blank with suitable word or phrase

I,

Take one’s word Take sb into Without Without a care in Take credit for
for custody precedent the world
Take sides Black look Blue blood Black humor Within earshot

1. I hope she wasn’t ___________________________________ when you were talking about her.
2. I will ___________________________________ it although I must say I find it hard to believe
what you have said.
3. Sheila ___________________________________ most of the presentation although, in fact, I
did most of the ground-work.
4. She was ___________________________________ for drug smuggling.
5. British sitcoms often exhibit a tendency towards ___________________________________.
6. This is something ___________________________________ in the history of the country.
7. They play video games, eat junk food and kick around town _____________________________.
8. When children have arguments, I do not think parents should _______________________.
9. He gave me a ___________________________________ when I asked him why he was late
again.
10. Having ___________________________________ was a disadvantage during the French
Revolution.

II,

Earshot Respite Striking Hitch Power Sight

Evening was approaching and we were not even within (1) ________________________ distance of
another island to my knowledge. We had not been within (2) ________________________ of land for
hours now, and we had been rowing without (3) ________________________ for what seemed like an
eternity. I was worried. Normally these expeditions go off without a (4) ________________________,
and without exception we take a radio with us. Not this time. We shouted, in vain. There was no other
ship within (5) ________________________. I told myself that the coastguard would, without fail send
out a search party, but it was getting late. If only it was within my ________________________ to find a
solution to the dilemma.

Part 3: Gapped Sentence

1. He ________________________ his eyes when he saw who had walked into the room.
She ________________________ her gaze when she realized he had noticed her staring at him.
The sudden movement on the right ________________________ his glance.
2. She had a traditional ________________________ wedding.
Why don’t you use ________________________ spirit to get the paint off your hands?
He told her a ________________________ lie in order not to upset her.
3. All government troops are on ________________________ alert following the hijacking.
I wanted to open a business here, but the amount of ________________________ tape put me
off.
That glove was just a ________________________ herring.
4. Poor old Jack is going ________________________ with age.
Solving crosswords may sometimes require the use of a little ________________________
matter.
The study of parapsychology is still very much a ________________________ area.
5. I never thought they'd put it ________________________ on the front page.
There were so many ________________________ marks against his name his name that he was
in danger of being fired.
He offered to help us move, so I do not think Jimmy is as ________________________ as he has
painted.
6. He must have ________________________ leave of his senses to buy that old house.
Melanie has not ________________________ her eyes off Margaret since she walked through
the door.
He has just lost his job, but he has ________________________ the situation in his stride.
7. You were supposed to bring me a ________________________ omelet.
The ________________________ truth is that I saw him stealing the money.
She is quite ________________________ but her sister is very pretty.
8. I found out to my ________________________ that the diamond was a fake.
She buys clothes at ________________________ from the manufacturer and sells them at the
market.
It will be time to count the ________________________ when we see what damage has been
done.
9. I just felt like taking the day off for no ________________________ at all.
You may use the phone for private calls within ________________________, but long distance
calls are not allowed.
 Why do you refuse to see ________________________ all the time?
10. Ted thinks it’s funny when the joke is at my ________________________ but does not laugh
much when it is at him.
Order the best champagne! I will put this dinner on my ________________________ account.
I bought my wife a silk blouse at great ________________________ and she loved it.

Part 4: Sentence Transformation

1. I had not expected him to be so easy to talk to. (surprised)

 I _________________________________________________________________ to talk to.
2. How dare he call me incompetent! (nerve)
 He _____________________________________________________________ incompetent.
3. I object very strongly to what he said and I will let him know. (exception)
 I _______________________________________________________ and I will let him know.
4. Has he gone mad? (leave)
 Has _________________________________________________________________ senses.
5. It would have been inconsiderate if I had not invited the neighbors to the wedding. (have)
 Not _____________________________________________ would have been inconsiderate.

KEY
Part 1:
1-e
2-b
3-a
4-f
5-d
6-c
Part 2:
I,
1. Within earshot
 Within earshot: near enough to hear
2. Take your word for
 Take one’s word for: assume what one says is true/ can be believed
3. Took/takes credit for
 Take credit for: accept acknowledgement for (sth/doing sth)
4. Taken into custody
5. Black humor
  Black humor: humor centered on unpleasant, dangerous situations, people
6. Without precedent
7. Without a care in the world
8. Take sides
 Take sides: show preference/ support one side of an argument/ dispute instead of
another
9. Black look
10. Blue blood
 Blue blood: the fact of being from a royal or noble family
II,
1. Striking
 Within striking distance: near enough to take action/ reach
2. Sight
3. Respite
 Without respite: without stopping
4. Hitch
 Without a hitch: without any type of problem
5. Earshot
6. Power
Part 3:
1. Averted/averts: turn your eyes, etc. away from something that you do not want to see
2. White
 White wedding: church wedding
 White spirit: liquid made from petrol and used as paint thinner
 White lie: unharmed lie
3. Red
 Red herring: misleading clue/ information
4. Grey
 Grey area: area about which little is known
5. Black
 Black marks against: negative, unfavorable assessments
 Not as black as sb is painted: not as bad as people say
6. Taken
 Take leave of one’s senses: behave irrationally, go mad
7. Plain
 Plain: unattractive, not pretty
8. Cost
 To one’s cost: with loss/ disadvantage to you
 At cost: at the initial price, before a percentage for profit is added
  Count the cost: estimate the personal/ financial consequences
9. Reason
10. Expense
 Joke is at one’s expense: joke which ridicules sb or injures their feelings
 Expense account: an arrangement by which money spent by somebody while they
are at work is later paid back to them by their employer; a record of money spent in
this way
Part 4:
1. was surprised (at/by) how easy he was/ at him/ him being so easy
2. Has the nerve to call me
3. take a great exception to what he said
4. Has he taken leave of his
5. To have invited the neighbors to the wedding