Lesson 11: English Idioms from Nature

Introductory Quiz
Guess the correct meaning of each idiom from the context. It's OK if you get a lot of
answers incorrect - the important part is to do your best in trying to figure it out!

Question 1

The teacher played a few games with the students to help break the ice on the first day
of English class.

"Break the ice" means...

A encourage people to exercise

B initiate social exchanges
C make everyone laugh

Question 2

My 5-year-old is developing the habit of throwing temper tantrums in public when we

don't do what he wants. We need to nip this behavior in the bud.

To "nip something in the bud" means...

A find a creative solution

B punish a child severely
C stop something early

Question 3

After being fired from his last few jobs for unexplained absences, it looks like Brian has
turned over a new leaf - he hasn't missed a day of work in months.

If you "turn over a new leaf," it means you...

A begin earning a higher salary

B change your religion
C start behaving in a better way

Question 4

Workers not wearing protective equipment is just the tip of the iceberg - that factory
is plagued with serious safety violations.

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If something is "the tip of the iceberg," it means...

A a lot of people are doing it incorrectly

B it's likely to cause a fatal accident
C it's only a small part of a bigger, hidden problem

Question 5

I put up with my boyfriend's messy habits for months for the sake of the relationship.
However, when I traveled for a month and he didn't wash a single dish during that
whole time, that was the last straw - I told him to move out.

If something is "the last straw," it means...

A it is the final thing that causes everything to collapse

B it is the last thing you expected somebody to do
C it is the worst offense

Question 6

Stop beating around the bush and just tell me how much it cost to repair the car.

"Beating around the bush" means...

A avoiding talking about the important point

B blaming an accident on someone else
C lying about a problem

Question 7

You have to be an extremely talented musician to get into that program. They only take
the cream of the crop.

"The cream of the crop" means...

A the most famous

B rich people
C the best of all

Question 8

The economy is recovering, but we're not out of the woods yet - unemployment is still
high and the recession could return at any time.

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If you are "out of the woods," it means...

A you have passed a critical or dangerous phase

B you aren't prepared for danger
C you don't know what's going to happen

Question 9

I wanted to go to an Italian restaurant, but all my friends were craving Chinese food, so I
just decided to go with the flow.

If you "go with the flow," it means you...

A don't resist the natural progress of events

B don't eat anything
C separate from the group to do something different

Question 10

A $25 donation to cancer research is just a drop in the ocean, but every little bit
helps.

"A drop in the ocean" means...

A a small amount compared to what is needed

B an action that is not obligatory
C something that will help all of humanity

Question 11

My favorite baseball team is still leading the league, but they're on thin ice - the
second-place team is only one game behind.

"On thin ice" means...

A of superior quality
B in a risky situation
C guaranteed easy victory

Question 12

This is the first year our school is running the "English for Tourism" program, so we're
in uncharted waters.

If you're in "uncharted waters," it means you're...

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 A expanding the number of options
B in a new, previously unexplored area
C providing what the students want

Question 13

I know you don't have to cut out ALL sweets while on a diet, but I prefer to avoid eating
even the smallest bit of chocolate because it's a slippery slope for me.

If something is a "slippery slope," it means...

A it easily leads to worse things

B it makes you feel sick
C it's not necessary

Video Explanation

#1 - break the ice = initiate social exchanges

When the surface of a lake is frozen, the ice is a barrier to accessing

the water. In the same way, a group of people who don't know each
other may have the "barrier" of being shy to interact. An activity
that "breaks the ice" is one that helps remove the barrier so that
people will interact with each other. This activity can be called an
"icebreaker."

#2 - nip something in the bud = stop something early

This is a bud - it is a flower before it opens. The word "nip" means to

cut. If you cut off the bud before the flower opens, you stop its
development early. This idiom is used when you want to stop a
problem in an early stage, before it gets worse.

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#3 - turn over a new leaf = start behaving in a better way

Springtime, when new leaves appear on the tress, is often associated with
new life. If a person turns over a new leaf, it means that he or she had a
history of bad behavior, but has changed - now making good decisions
and taking positive action.

#4 - the tip of the iceberg

= only a small part of a bigger problem that is hidden

An iceberg is a large block of ice in the ocean. Icebergs are very

large, but usually only a small part is visible above the water.

The word "tip" means the top or the extremity. So if you say that
something is just the tip of the iceberg, it means that it is a small
part of a much bigger problem.

#5 - the last straw = the final thing that causes everything to collapse

Dried-out grain or grass is called straw. Imagine a camel with a

lot of very heavy bags on it back. If the camel is already at its
limit and you add just one straw, the extra weight will break the
camel's back.

This idiom is used when there is a long series of problems, and

the final one that makes everything completely fail or collapse is
"the last straw" or "the straw that broke the camel's back."

#6 - beat around the bush = avoid talking about the important point

A bush is a plant that grows close to the ground. In the past,

hunters often "beat" (hit) the ground around the bushes in
order to scare any animals out of the bush so that they would be
easier targets.

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However, they didn't hit the bush directly; they kept some
distance from the bush just in case a dangerous animal came out.

The idiom "beat around the bush" therefore means not talking
directly about the main point; instead, you give details on related
topics and avoid addressing the main topic.

#7 - the cream of the crop = the best of all

This idiom actually comes from a mixture of two other idioms.

The "cream" is considered the best part of the milk, and there is another expression in
English "the cream rises to the top" - meaning the best will
always become apparent.

The word "crop" refers to any plant that is cultivated in

agriculture, like rice, corn, fruit, vegetables, etc. The best
part of the crop was originally called "the pick of the crop"
- but at some point the two idioms mixed and became "the
cream of the crop" meaning the best among many others.

#8 - out of the woods = have passed a critical or dangerous phase

The word “woods” refers to a small forest. The woods can be

a dangerous place, so if you go "out of the woods" you are
safe, you are out of danger, and you can relax. The idiom
"out of the woods" can be used in both the positive and
negative.

For example, if someone was really sick, but is recovering

and no longer in danger of dying, you could say "The doctors say she's out of the woods."
If you have taken three final exams, but you still have two more to take, you could say "I
still have two final exams to take. I'm not out of the woods yet" - meaning you are not
yet past the critical period of exam-taking.

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#9 - go with the flow = accept events as they develop, without resisting

The word flow refers to the movement of water in a

river, which goes in one direction. If you go with the
flow, you follow the natural progress of events. In the
quiz example, when you wanted to eat Italian food but
your friends wanted Chinese food, deciding to "go with
the flow" means you did not resist your friends'
decision, and you accompanied them to the Chinese
restaurant.

#10 - on thin ice = in a risky situation

If the ice on the surface of a lake is thin, then it is not very

strong. The ice could break, and you could fall into the cold
water. This is why the idiom "on thin ice" or "skating on thin
ice" means a risky and possibly dangerous situation.

#11 – in uncharted waters = in a new, previously unexplored area

In this expression, "waters" refers to the ocean - and

"uncharted" means unexplored; there are no maps of the
area. So the idiom "in uncharted waters" means you are
in a situation that is completely new for you.

#12 - it's a slippery slope = it easily leads to worse things

Slope is a word for a hill or incline - and slippery means

it's easy to slip or slide. If you were walking and you
stepped onto a slippery slope, it would be easy for you to
slide all the way down to the bottom. So this idiom is
used metaphorically in any situation where some things
would very easily lead to much worse things.

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This expression is often used in law and politics, when people argue that one action
would naturally make it easy for worse and worse things to happen.

#13 - just a drop in the ocean

= a small amount compared to what is needed

A single "unit" of water is called a drop, and one drop is very small compared
to the entire ocean - so an action that appears small and insignificant
compared to the greater context is called "a drop in the ocean" or sometimes
"a drop in the bucket."

You’ve finished Lesson 11!

Take the practice quiz and try the writing exercises – and log in tomorrow for Lesson 12.

Practice Quiz
Question 1

The rapid advance of social media in the past few years means that parents today are
_____________ when it comes to helping kids use the internet safely and effectively.

A a drop in the bucket

B in uncharted waters
C going with the flow

Question 2

The government made a temporary agreement with the rebels, but they're
_______________ - there's still a long way to go before reaching complete peace and
stability.

A breaking the ice

B the cream of the crop
C not out of the woods yet

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Question 3

His angry outbursts at work are only ____________ - I hear he's also been charged
twice with domestic violence.

A beating around the bush

B the last straw
C the tip of the iceberg

Question 4

You should visit the dentist regularly to ________________, because major dental
work can be quite expensive.

A go with the flow

B nip any problems in the bud
C turn over a new leaf

Question 5

I always tell a few funny stories to ___________ on a first date.

A break the ice

B beat around the bush
C get out of the woods

Question 6

I'm going to Europe this summer, but I don't have any specific plans - I'll just
______________.

A go with the flow

B be in uncharted waters
C nip it in the bud

Question 7

I adopted two dogs from the animal shelter, but that's ______________. We really
need to educate all of society about not mistreating animals.

A the last straw

B just a drop in the ocean
C the tip of the iceberg

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Question 8

You lost some of the confidential documents again? That's __________ - you're fired!

A on thin ice
B the cream of the crop
C the last straw

Question 9

When I asked Joe how his new job is going, he kept _____________. I guess he
doesn't really want to talk about it.

A beating around the bush

B breaking the camel's back
C turning over a new leaf

Question 10

Wow! I've tasted some great California wines in my life, but this one is really
_______________.

A a slippery slope
B going with the flow
C the cream of the crop

Answers
1) B

2) C

3) C

4) B

5) A

6) A

7) B

8) C

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9) A

10) C

Speaking / Writing Exercises

1. Describe a time when you nipped a problem in the bud.

2. Do you normally go with the flow, or do you prefer to follow a pre-determined

plan?

3. What's the best way to adapt if you are in uncharted waters?

4. Have you ever experienced or seen a situation where there was a "straw that
broke the camel's back"?

5. If you're at a social event where you don't know anyone, how do you break the
ice?

If you want correction / feedback, you can either e-mail me your writing at
help@espressoenglish.net or leave me a voice mail message:
www.speakpipe.com/espressoenglish

Image sources:

Evgeni Dinev, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

lobster20, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Lmbuga Commons
Uwe Kils, Wiska Bodo
Glyn Baker
photokanok, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tatiana Gerus
SOMMAI, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
pakorn, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Thamizhpparithi Maari
TheGiantVermin
Jezhotwells
Cary Bass
1RadicalOne

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