Politics – Idioms and Discussion

NAME: David Ruiz

NRC: 3270

Match the idioms to their definitions:

1. G A two/three/four- 2. E A political football 3. C Hot air

horse race

4. L Toe the party line 5. K A political hot potato 6. B A hung parliament

7. H Press the flesh 8. D Get on/off your 9. F Throw in the towel

soapbox

10. A Bent/crooked 11. J Live/be in an ivory 12. I Have the common

tower touch

a. Be corrupt f. To give up j. To be detached from

b. When there’s no clear g. A competition/election reality
winner in an election only a few people can k. A potentially
c. Empty words win controversial topic
d. To speak passionately h. To shake hands with l. Conform to and
about something you the public express the same
believe in
 e. A problem that i. To be able to relate to views as the leaders of
doesn’t get solved the public your party.
because of political
reasons

Put the expressions in the sentences:

1. After the speeches the politicians went into the crowd to Press the flesh with members of
the public.
2. What the chancellor said about trickle-down economics is a load of hot air, I don’t believe it
for a second.
3. The problem with most politicians is that they live/are in an ivory tower and have no idea
how their policies affect people.
4. I reckon half the politicians in this country are crooked/bent, you just have to follow the
money.
5. The opposition have decided to throw in the towel and accept that they lost the election.
6. Normally, if a cabinet minister doesn’t toe the party line they’ll soon be out of a job.
7. Early polls suggest the result will be a hung parliament with no clear winner.
8. It looks like the election will be a two-horse race between Labour and the Conservatives.
9. Prison reform has been a political football for years because prisoners don’t vote!
10. The subject of MPs’ expenses is a political hot potato, nobody wants to touch it but I’m sure
it’s going to blow up soon.
11. The new leader of the Liberals has the common touch, you can see it in the way he talks to
his constituents.
12. Get off your soap box Tony, you’re always banging on about conspiracy theories but we’ve
heard it all before.