ENGLISH

[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

Test ENGLISH

Test Code ENG04

Page | 1
Topic IDIOMS & PHRASES
No. of Questions 35

Maximum Marks 35

Competitive score 28
Time allowed 18 minutes
Answers with explanations have been provided for self-evaluation.
Do send us your score after completing the test.

Each of the following idioms is followed by alternative meanings of which one is correct. Find
out the correct answer.

1. At one’s wits end

a. to be completely confused
b. to be very witty
c. to have no sense of humour
d. to be indifferent.

2. To fly off the handle

a. to dislocate
b. to lose one’s temper
c. to take off
d. to be indifferent

3. To blaze a trail
a. To blow the trumpet
b. to be annoyingly noisy
c. to initiate work in a movement
d. to be vehemently opposed.
4. Between the devil and the deep sea
a. In a dilemma
b. a man who is drowning
c. a deep sea driver
d. Near the coastline

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[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

5. To fight tooth and nail

a. to fight cowardly
b. making every possible effort to win
c. to fight heroically
d. to lose everything while engaged in fighting. Page | 2

6. To make a point of
a. to bring into use
b. to tell a wonderful thing
c. to ask many questions
d. to attach importance to

7. To make a hole in one’s pocket

a. Wanting to spend money quickly
b. to come back one’s again in one’s former career
c. To confess one’s guilt
d. to do something thoroughly

8. To have a brush with

a. To have a pleasant laughter with
b. to be in a good companionship
c. to have made a strong effort
d. to have a slight encounter with

9. Not to bat an eyelid

a. not to become self reliant
b. to relieve all the suffering
c. not to show a reaction
d. not to be surprised

10. To catch a Tartar

a. to catch a dangerous person
b. do deal with a person who is more than one’s match.
c. To trap a wanted criminal with great difficulty
d. None of these

11. In the blues

a. Having many blue things
b. being colourful
c. behave like a lord
d. Melancholy and low-spirited

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[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

12. To show the white feather

a. to try to be beautiful
b. to perform a good deed
c. to show courage before the enemy
d. none to these Page | 3

13. To play fast and loose

a. to be narrow minded
b. to play a good game
c. to act in an unreliable way
d. None of these

14. Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve

a. to show one’s feelings
b. to be most intimate
c. to love passionately
d. to do the right thing

Directions: In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the bold or given idiom /
phrase. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the bold or given idiom/
phrase.

15. They are all at sixes and sevens.

a. In groups of sixes and sevens
b. In disagreement
c. Playing a game
d. None of the above

16. He failed miserably in the competitive examination as he had worked for it by fits and
starts.
a. Finally
b. Hastily
c. Irregularly
d. Impulsively

17. Fast bowling is the Achilles heel of Indian cricket.

a. Major factor
b. Satisfactory element
c. Weak point
d. Cause of failure

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[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

18. The Education Minister and five other MLAs sustained minor injuries in the free for all in
the assembly.
a. Everyone got something free
b. Uncontrollable situation
c. Free entrance for all
d. Fight for freedom Page | 4

19. He wanted to give Rita a surprise party but John let the cat out of the bag.
a. spoilt the party with a cat
b. gave her a party himself
c. told her about it unintentionally
d. prevented her from attending it

20. Why should you read between the lines whenever I say this to you?
a. read the lines with great speed
b. interpret the lines wrongly
c. find more meaning than the words appear to express
d. read a text line – by – line slowly

21. The Earl of Leicester threw down the glove.

a. accepted defeat
b. rejected the prize
c. resorted to wrong tactics
d. gave a challenge

22. The angry hockey players gave vent to their feelings

a. to express
b. to emphasis
c. to suppress
d. to dismiss

23. I trust you will bear with me a few minutes more.

a. have patience with
b. support
c. carry the burden for
d. be in control for

24. As usual he is blowing his own trumpet.

a. refusing to use anybody else’s trumpet
b. playing a tune on the trumpet
c. praising himself
d. praising himself and others

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[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

25. When trade was brisk, he worked hard and made his fortune; he believes in making hay
while the sun shines.
a. taking advantage of a favourable opportunity
b. earning money through dishonest means
c. earning money at the cost of others
d. taking advantage of the inflationary trends Page | 5

26. When they were surrounded from all slides, the dacoits laid down their arms.
a. Put their arms on the ground
b. fought bravely
c. surrendered
d. became nervous

In these questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase given in bold in the
sentence Choose the one which best expresses the meaning of that idiom/phrase:

27. He is accused of sitting on the fence.

a. observing the scene
b. hesitating which side to join
c. Resting on the fence
d. confused about the situation

28. He is out and out a liar.

a. surely
b. consistently
c. basically
d. thoroughly

29. I stepped forward fully determined to take the bull by the horns.
a. To meet the danger boldly
b. to act without any hesitation
c. to act without any preparation
d. To be fully alive to one’s interests

30. She is a clever girl, and she can put two and two together.
a. draw a logical conclusion
b. make a formal statement
c. look very thoughtful
d. count very well

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[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

31. To get his work done, Ramesh had no choice but to grease the palm of the official.
a. to lubricate
b. to be kind and generous
c. to bribe
d. to be nice Page | 6

32. The captors of the kidnapped kept his family on tenterhooks

a. on constant move
b. in anxious suspense
c. in seething anger
d. in excited wait

33. I have come to know of your hole-and-corner methods of dealing with people.
a. suspicious
b. strict
c. servile
d. secret

34. They are sure to steal a march upon their competitors.

a. defy
b. outshine
c. challenge
d. resist

35. He was a in a brown study and did not seem to catch my point.
a. In his study room
b. absent-minded
c. absorbed in reading
d. in a state of shock.

ANSWERS ON NEXT PAGE

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[Topic : Idioms & Phrases] – ENG04

S.No Answer MEANING

1 a Perplexed
2 b Lose one’s temper.
3 c Find a new path or method. Page | 7
4 a Two, equally, unacceptable choices.
5 b Fiercely
6 d Regard as important
7 a Reckless spending of money
8 d Have an encounter
9 c Not reacting/responding
10 b Deal with someone or something that proves unexpectedly troublesome or
powerful
11 d Depression
12 d Behave in a cowardly manner
13 c Unreliable
14 a Display one’s feelings openly and habitually
15 b Lost in bewilderment
16 c Do things sporadically
17 c Weak or vulnerable factor
18 b Contested situation that is disordered
19 c Disclose a secret
20 c Try to understand something which is not explicit
21 d To challenge
22 a Forcefully expressing feelings
23 a Being tolerant
24 c Act in a boastful manner
25 a Do things when conditions/situations are right
26 c Stop fighting and surrender
27 b Refusing to take sides in a dispute
28 d Completely
29 a Face a difficulty without avoiding it
30 a Draw proper conclusions from existing evidence
31 c To offer something out of the way
32 b Uneasy suspense
33 d Clandestine
34 b Get ahead of
35 b State of deep thought

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