Name:________________ Class:____( ) Date:____________ Mark:_______

NEWSPAPER CUTTING (SCMP 23-9-04) ** Answer **

Read the article below and then complete the following tasks.

Task One: Look at the picture below and tell the meaning of the caption in the space
provided.

Caption: _______Putting the cart before the horse_________________________

Meaning: ______doing things the wrong way/getting thins the wrong way round____

Task Two: Read the article on page 3 and then put down the meaning of the idioms in
the relevant column.

Idioms
1. to put the cart before the
horse
2. To make a mountain out of a
molehill
3. To get on like a house on fire
Meaning
To get things the wrong way round
To make a big fuss over something small
To get on with someone really well

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4. To rain cats and dogs To rain very heavily

5. To wash your hands of someone To stop speaking to a person who has done
something to upset you

6. To behave as if butter wouldn’t To act innocently about something when really

melt in your mouth you are guilty

Task three: Complete the following sentences by inserting the most suitable idioms
into the blanks.

1. He has really made me angry this time. Our friendship is over. I am washing

_my hands of him.

2. You are __putting the cart before the

horse__________________________.

You should make certain you have enough money in the bank before you buy

your ticket to Australia.

3. You will need an umbrella. It is __raining cats and dogs___ outside.

4. Don’t get upset about losing your pen. You are __making a mountain out of a

molehill___.

5. Our new Mathematics teacher is great. I __get on__ with him _like a house on

fire____.

6. Stop acting __as if butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth___. I know it’s you who

let off the stink bomb in the maths lesson. Admit it.

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