1. Talking to her is useless - she doesn’t respond.

WALL

- Talking to her is ………………………………………………………………..

2. The town hall has approved the plans for the new sports centre. GREEN

- The town hall has ……………………………………………………………

3. You’d better get hurry if you want to be on time for the performance. SKATES

- You’d better …………………………………………………………… .

4. My boss criticized me for not keeping my deadlines. COALS

- My boss ……………………………………………………………

5. For two years, the company was in a difficult position making nothing but losses. RIDE

For two years, the company ……………………………………………………………

6. We’d better prepare ourselves right away. They’ve arrived. GEAR
- We’d better ……………………………………………………
7.Doing two jobs is making him become stressful all the time. STRAIN
- Doing two jobs ……………………………………………………
- 8.Whatever happens I’m determined to find out the truth. BOTTOM
- Whatever happens ……………………………………………………
- 9. After half an hour of small talk, we should talk about the important part now. BUSINESS
- After half an hour of small talk, ……………………………………………………
10.”William is a very private person,” remarked Amanda . (KEPT)
Amanda remarked……………………………………………………………………
Amanda remarked that William kept himself to himself
KEY

- 1.Talking to her is like banging your head against a brick wall.

Bang one’s head against the wall: useless
- 2The town hall has given the green light to the plans for the new sports center.

3- You’d better get your skates on if you want to be on time for the performance.

Get one’s skates on: be hurry

4.My boss hauled me over the coals for not keeping my deadlines.
Haul someone over the coals: to scold, reprimand, or reprove someone severely for an error or mistake
 - 5.For two years, the company had a bumpy ride making nothing but losses.
Have a bumpy ride: to have a difficult time

6. - We’d better get into gear. They’ve arrived

Get into gear: to start working or doing something in a more energetic way
7.Doing two jobs is putting a great strain on him.
Put a (great) strain on: cause stress/ difficulties
8.Whatever happens I’m determined to get to the bottom of this.
Get to the bottom of something: find out the truth about something
9. After half an hour of small talk, we should get down to business now.

Get down to business: start something seriously

10.”Amanda remarked that William kept himself to himself
kept himself to himself= to spend a lot of time alone, not talking to other people very much:

TEST 2

1. She took a risk for the ex-convict when she got him the job with the company she works at.

- She really stuck her neck out for the ex-convict when she got him the job with the company she
works at.

Stick one’s neck out: take risk to try to help someone else
2. Jane always does things in the last minute.

- Jane always does things at the eleventh hour.

At the eleventh hour: in the last minute
3. Experience has taught me not to trust people too much.
- I have learned the hard way not to trust people too much.
Learn something the hard way: to discover what you need to know through experience or by making
mistakes
4. You won’t tell anyone about it, will you?
- You will keep it under your hat, won’t you?
Keep something under one’s hat: to keep something secret
5. Dad got really angry when I told him about the fight.
- Dad went off deep end when I told him about the fight.
 Go off deep end: give way immediately to an emotional outburst, especially of anger.

6. Why do you criticise evrything I do ?” he said HOLE

He wanted to ………………………………………………………………………..he did
He wanted to know why I picked hole in everything he did
pick holes in sth=to find mistakes in something someone has done or said, to show that it is not good or not
correct
7.I’m not happy with you – have you been telling lies about me? PICK
I…………………………………………………..– have you been telling lies about me
I have got a bone to pick with you - have you been telling lies about me
have a bone to pick with sb=to want to talk to someone about something annoying they have done:
8.Joe should have kept quiet instead of arguing with dad.

- Joe should have held his tongue instead of arguing with dad.
Hold one’s tongue: to refrain from speaking
9.It was too foggy for us to get an aerial view of Paris.
- If it hadn’t been so foggy, we could have got a bird’s eye view of Paris.
A bird’s eye view: a view from a high angle as if seen by a bird in flight
10.You will soon see that the boss is not as unpleasant as he seems at first.
- The boss’s bark is worse than his bite; you’ll soon see.
Someone’s bark is worse than their bite: If you say that someone's bark is worse than their bite, you
mean that they seem much more unpleasant or hostile than they really are.
TEST 3

7. Jane did go wrong in the past but now she has a chance to make it right again.
- Jane did go wrong in the past but now she can start with a clean slate.
 Start with a clean slate/sheet: to start something again with a fresh beginning,
especially unencumbered by mistakes or regrets from the past.
8. It’s perfectly obvious to all of us that they’re in love.
- You can see/tell a mile off that they are in love
A mile off: if you can see or tell something a mile off, you notice it easily and
quickly
6. By leaving Mary alone, I am sure she will finish the project on time.

-If Mary is left to her own devices, I am sure she will finish the project on time.
Leave somebody to their own devices: to leave somebody alone to do as

they wish, and not tell them what to do

TEST 4

TEST 5

TEST 6

TEST 7

TEST 8

TEST 9

TEST 10