Vargas Sánchez José Luis

LEI, English VIII

Lexical Activities Unit 15.

I. Use the words in the box to complete the idioms (a-m). Then, match the columns with the
appropriate meanings by writing the correct number in the parenthesis (1-13 – a-m)

a. A ________ handshake
b. cut their ______
c. progress up the ______
d. a mixed ________
e. dog-____ -god set eat whiff blessing
f. the slightest ______ of rungs
g. snapped ______
h. a track _______ record quantum fix heads
i. mind____
up teeth
j. the ______’s still out
k. a _______ leap golden jury
l. quick ______es
m. keep their ________ down

1. concentrate on their work

2. apparently simple and instant solutions
3. huge improvement
4. people haven’t decided
5. way of thinking
6. evidence of previous success
7. recruited immediately
8. a tiny bit of
9. fiercely competitive
10. good and bad
11. climb the career ladder
12. get experience
13. financial reward for long service
II. Use the previous idioms to complete the following sentences. Make any necessary changes.

1. After having finished his master’s degree in Aeronautics, Robert was ___________ by
Aeromexico.
2. I’m quite sure I’m getting that job owing to my CV. As soon as the manager reads it, he’ll
realize of my ______________ in my previous jobs.
3. It seems that Harry’s _____________ towards politicians is never going to change. He is
such a suborn man when it comes to politics.
4. After having worked for 30 years in that company, my grandfather was given a
_______________ for all his years of commitment. I think he’ll use the money to pay some
of his debts.
5. I can see that you have just finished the major, Mr. Williams, yet more experience is
required for this position. You should ______________ by working in another place and
then you come back.
6. Nothing is free in this life my dear boy, if you want to be a successful man, you’ll have to
________________.
7. I am really nervous whether I’m being accepted to study in Harvard or not. I just have to
wait two more weeks. I’m afraid the ______________ by that time.
8. It is needless to say that your success in my class has been due to ________________ in
attendance, discipline and commitment.
9. Don’t worry Mom! Our house will be sold if we only make _____________ to the roof and
walls. I’m pretty sure nobody is going to notice them, at least for the next weeks.
10. ___________________ boys! This project has to be finished by the end of the week.
11. The arrival of the new principal was _______________ for the teachers staff, who were
asked to develop several projects with their students and work extra hours.
12. I’m pretty sure that after finishing the major, getting the best positions will be
________________ for my classmates and I. Fortunately I have too much more experience
than they have.
13. When Valery was pregnant, even the ___________________ fish made her throw up.

III. Use the following words to complete the sentences. Make any necessary change.

Quick catnap rapid response slow lane a quick dip a quick buck fast lane
Quick bite

1. Wait boys! I’ll just have a __________ before we go; otherwise, I’ll be hungry the whole
day.
2. Without an afternoon ____________, workers may start pounding back cups of Joe and
turning to some unhealthy habits to get the boost.
 3. Life in the ____________ was proving that proving even more hectic than Mark had
imagined.
4. After the disastrous damage of hurricane Katrina, the whole world made a
______________ to help people in need.
5. Selling drugs might seem to be a good way of making a _______________, but you are
likely to spend your whole life in prison.
6. If you want to improve yourself and be a successful person, quitting school will only make
you end up in the ______________.
7. This scorching heat is killing me. I’ll have a ____________ in the river so that I can sleep
well.

IV. Match the following words with the correct color square to form the idioms. Then, use them to
complete the sentences.

Goods 1. ___________________________

Ink 2. ___________________________

Chips 3. ___________________________

Knight 4. ___________________________

Hello 5. ___________________________

Shoots 6. ___________________________

a. Too much _______________ and the company will collapse.

b. After my brother signed a contract of employment with Coca Cola Company, he was given
a great _____________.
c. Even the ________________ PEMEX and TELMEX are beginning to suffer reverses of
fortune, as the recession bites.
d. Hope is fading that a _____________ will appear to stop the takeover bid.
e. Let’s go to the mall! I have heard that on the black Friday there is going to be a discount of
the 60 percent in ________________. It’s a good chance to buy a new fridge for my
mother.
f. Now, whether or not "___________" are actually sprouting from our
economic landscape is a different question altogether.
 ANSWER KEY
I. 13. f

a. A golden handshake - 13 III.

b. cut their teeth - 12
1. quick bite
c. progress up the rungs - 11
d. a mixed blessing - 10 2. quick catnap
3. fast lane
e. dog-eat-dog - 9
f. the slightest whiff of - 8 4. rapid response
5. quick buck
g. snapped up - 7
h. a track record - 6 6. slow lane
7. quick dip
i. mindset - 5
j. the jury’s still out - 4
k. a quantum leap - 3
l. quick fixes - 2 IV. The idioms in the first part of the exercise
m. keep their heads down – 1 can be written in any order.

II. 1. Red ink

2. green shoots
1. g 3. blue chips
2. h 4. white goods
3. i 5. golden hello
4. a 6. white knight
5. b
6. c
7. j
a. Red ink
8. k
b. Golden hello
9. l
c. blue chips
10. m (your)
d. white knight
11. d
e. white goods
12. e
f. green shoot