SEBI Gr A 2020

PHASE-1

ENGLISH
IDIOMS & PHRASES

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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
1. Mare’s nest
The involvement of the doctors in the health scheme proves to be a mare’s nest.
A. a noble thing B. a false intention
C. a good idea D. a timely step

2. Axe to grind.
Most of the present day politicians have an axe to grind.
A. Have obstacles B. scores to settle
C. badmouth others D. have personal ends to serve

3. A white elephant.
They sold their house because it was a real white elephant.
A. a useless one B. very large
C. a costly one D. a rare one

4. Cocksure.
She was cocksure that she would do the job as desired.
A. worried B. very confident
C. desirable D. doubtful
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
5. Held the enemy at bay.
The great soldier single-handedly held the enemy at bay.
A. kept the enemy at a distance B. fought the enemy
C. engaged the enemy D. defeated the enemy

6. Pell-mell.
As our army attacked, the enemy retreated pell-mell.
A. quickly B. defeatedly
C. in a heap D. in a disorganized manner

7. Heap coals of fire on one’s head.

Let me admit that I could not heap coals of fire on his head.
A. get angry B. put him to shame
C. put coals on his head D. agitate him

8. To feather one’s nest

He is temporarily in charge of his office and is trying to feather his nest.
A. raise the image of the company B. bring order and discipline in the company
C. act for his won future benefits D. diversify the products of the company
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
9. Wrong end of the stick
She got the wrong end of the stick.
A. felt uneasy B. committed a blunder
C. misjudged a situation D. confessed to a crime

10. On tenterhooks
The captors of the kidnapped kept his family on tenterhooks.
A. in anxious suspense B. frightened
C. delirious D. worried

11. Tall talks

One should not indulge in tall talks.
A. flattery B. idle talk
C. irrelevant talk D. boasting

12. Yeoman’s service.

The doctor rendered yeoman’s service to the earthquake victims.
A. excellent service B. free, generous help
C. epitome of service D. dedicated service
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
13. Get into hot water.
You will get into hot water if you commit the same mistake again.
A. be in trouble B. be arrested
C. be in a fix D. accused

14. To set the Thames on fire.

It requires unparalleled courage to set the Thames on fire.
A. do a heroic deed B. fire the Thames
C. destroy with fire D. fuel gossip

15. Burn the candle at both ends

I am afraid she is burning the candle at both ends.
A. burning the candle B. fire the Thames
C. destroy with fire D. fuel gossip

16. To draw the long bone.

When he tells stories about himself, he is inclined to draw the long bone.
A. get excited B. exaggerate
C. get emotional D. understate
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
17. Bury the hatchet.
The sworn enemies have decided to bury the hatchet.
A. to become friends B. to make peace
C. to bury their enmity D. to forgive

18. Born with a silver spoon.

Pandit Nehru was born with a silver spoon.
A. born in a royal family B. born in a middle class family
C. born in a family of nationalists D. born in a wealthy family

19. Stick one’s neck out.

The CEO of the company stuck his neck out when he announced a blanket bonus to all the staff.
A. extended help B. took an oath
C. caused embarrassment D. took a risk

20. With a high hand.

He was a king who ruled his subjects with a high hand.
A. oppressively B. kindly
C. conveniently D. sympathetically
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
21. Talk through one’s hat.
I do not mind what he was saying; he was only talking through his hat.
A. talking insultingly B. talking irresponsibly
C. talking ignorantly D. talking nonsense

22. Add fuel to fire.

Her inflammatory talks merely adds fuel to fire.
A. aggravate trouble B. harass
C. create trouble D. calm down

23. Like a duck in a thunderstorm.

When I saw her in the morning, she looked like a duck in a thunderstorm.
A. peaceful B. timid
C. indomitable D. distressed

24. Go down the drain.

His hard-earned money has gone down the drain.
A. has been wasted B. lost in a drain
C. has been looted D. has been plundered
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
25. Not caring for the family. Devender wanted to gather roses only.
A. wanted to paint a rosy picture of the past B. wanted to start a business of roses.
C. wanted to make safe investment D. wanted to seek all the enjoyments of life

26. Leave no stone unturned

In his efforts to succeed he left no stone unturned.
A. used all available means B. looked beneath every stone
C. worked hard D. took no pains

27. Keeping up appearances.

In spite of his poverty he believed in keeping up his appearances.
A. revealing the truth B. appearing rich
C. faking his identity D. maintain outward show

28. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.

He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
A. an evil man B. scoundrel
C. crook D. hypocrite

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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
29. With open arms
Her family with open arms welcomed her back home.
A. warmly B. causally
C. indifferently D. coldly

30. Left-hand compliment

I just paid him a left-hand compliment.
A. an honest B. a well-deserved
C. an insincere D. a flattering

31. A Herculean task

The work assigned to me was a Herculean task for me.
A. impossible task B. work requiring great effort
C. a new task D. an uphill task

32. Leading up the garden path

She always leads others up the garden path.
A. befools others B. worries others
C. cheats others D. deceives others
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
33. Throw down the gauntlet.
He used very ugly words against his kind uncle; he threw down the gauntlet before him.
A. he abused and insulted him B. he threw the challenge
C. he behaved as if he was a very great and important person D. he put down several conditions for negotiations

34. On the wrong side of fifty.

He is on the wrong side of fifty.
A. over fifty years old B. a sinner
C. not yet fifty D. old

35. Bell the cat.

None in the group were ready to bell the cat.
A. to speak up against somebody B. to be alert of the enemy
C. to take the lead to danger D. to tie a bell on the cat

36. To bite off more than one can chew.

By taking this project, he has bitten off more than he can chew.
A. is very greedy B. more than one can handle
C. is very hungry D. is inefficient
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
37. Rain cats and dogs
It has been raining cats and dogs since the past two days.
A. heavily B. endlessly
C. continuously D. incessantly

38. Hard and fast rule.

There is no hard and fast rule regarding this subject.
A. rule that be broken or modified B. rule that is difficult
C. rule that is fast changing D. rule that be broken trumpet

39. Blow one’s own trumpet

The MP from our constituency is fond of blowing his own trumpet when he gets a chance.
A. parading his own good deeds B. speaking too loudly
C. looking after his own interest D. making long speeches

40. Let grass grow under one’s feet.

He failed in his attempt to succeed in the project because he let grass grow under his feet.
A. sat unmoving B. saw the grass grow
C. stayed inactive and out D. loitered around
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
41. Not worth one’s salt
He is not worth his salt if he fails at this juncture.
A. quite worthless B. very proud of himself
C. quite depressed D. very strange

42. A wild goose chase

To find real happiness in this world is a wild goose chase.
A. futile search B. ideal seeking
C. chasing geese D. a purposeful chase

43. To pass the buck.

Not taking up the responsibility of the team’s failure every one is trying to pass the buck to the other.
A. to repent B. to bribe
C. to gossip D. to shift responsibility

44. Too many irons in the fire.

He has too many irons in the fire.
A. is very selfish and greedy B. pokes his nose in every affair
C. is engaged in too many affairs simultaneously
D. to be angry 50% OFF on NABARD courses
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
45. What side of the bread is buttered.
He knows what side of the bread is buttered.
A. knows which side the advantage lies B. knows how to butter the bread
C. to flatter D. to be efficient

46. In the family way

Poor woman do hard manual labour even when they are in the family way.
A. are married B. pregnant
C. have many children D. unwell

47. Beat about the bush

Tell me plainly who broke the mirror; do not beat about the bush.
A. put any blame on others B. pretend to be unaware of the matter
C. approach the matter in a roundabout way D. try to impress me with your arguments

48. To have a bee in the bonnet

I avoid this man because he has a bee in his bonnet.
A. is crazy B. loves bees
C. is evil D. failed
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 IDIOMS & PHRASES
49. End in a smoke.
All his plans to be the Prime Minister of the country ended in a smoke.
A. are burnt B. came to nothing
C. were futile D. failed

50. Make both ends meet.

He cannot make both ends meet.
A. manage the business B. work hard
C. earn enough D. control affairs

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Happy Learning!