Idioms and Phrases Exercise

41. A baker’s dozen :

(a) Twelve
(b) Charity
(c) Thirteen
(d) Allowance

42. A bull in a china shop :

(a) A person who is very ugly but loves the beautiful things of life
(b) A person who takes a sadistic delight in harming innocent people
(c) A person who becomes too excited where no excitement is warranted
(d) A person who is rough and clumsy where skill and care are required

43. Hard-pressed :

(a) Bewildered
(b) Insulted
(c) Hard discipline
(d) In difficulties

44. To be at one’s finger’s end :

(a) To be hopeless
(b) To be highly perplexed
(c) To be completely conversant with
(d) To count things

45. To pull strings :

(a) To exert hidden influence
(b) To tease someone
(c) To speed up
(d) To start something

46. A green horn :

(a) An envious lady
(b) A trainee
(c) An inexperienced man
(d) A soft-hearted man

47. To be old as the hills :

(a) To be very ancient
(b) To be wise and learned
(c) To be old but foolish
(d) Not being worth the age

48. To pour oil in troubled water :

(a) To forment trouble
(b) To add to the trouble
(c) To instigate
(d) To calm a quarrel with soothing words

49. To mind one’s P’s and Q’s :

(a) To be cautious
(b) To be accurate and precise
(c) To be careful of one’s accounts
(d) To be careful of one’s personality

50. To break the ice :

(a) To start quarreling
(b) To end the hostility
(c) To start to conversation
(d) To end up partnership

51. For some people, writing verse is as duck takes to water.

(a) like taking the duck to water
(b) like bursting out suddenly
(c) like dropping the duck in the water
(d) like easily and naturally speaking

52. He made my day by telling me how important I was to him.

(a) gave me great pleasure
(b) displeased me
(c) spoiled my day
(d) made me resentful

53. He made away with ten thousand rupees in the course of three months.

(a) earned
(b) ran away with
(c) squandered
(d) saved

54. The students of that group have assured their project guide that they will all work against the clock.

(a) work while keeping patience
(b) work with vigour to finish in limited time
(c) work with enthusiasm
(d) work hard to go against the time

55. To let off steam, my friend started murmuring.

(a) to release his tension
(b) to show his anger
(c) to show his approval
(d) to show his displeasure

56. I tried to feel his pulse on the issue, but in vain.

(a) find his views
(b) enlighten him
(c) argue with him
(d) guide him

57. For this act of indifference he will be taken to task by the authority.

(a) he will get an official reprimand from the authority.
(b) he will be rewarded by the authority.
(c) he will tender his resignation to the authority.
(d) he will be entrusted with an official job.

58. You need to have something up your sleeve if the present

plan does not work.
(a) have some honest means
(b) have some hidden sources of money
(c) have a secret pocket in the sleeve
(d) have an alternative plan

59. The new manager ruled the roost to everyone.

(a) exercised authority
(b) rushed through work
(c) got paid very handsomely
(d) created good impression

60. Despite his initial arrogance he had to eat humble pie.

(a) he had to yield under pressure
(b) he maintained composure
(c) he failed to protest eventually
(d) he accepted the food offered

61. We must work with all our might and main, otherwise we cannot succeed.

(a) full force
(b) complete trust
(c) exceptional skill
(d) full unity

62. The sailors nailed their colours to their mast.

(a) put up a colourful mast
(b) refused to climb down
(c) took over the ship
(d) decided to abandon the ship

63. We had (had) better batten down the hatches. The weather is unpredictable.

(a) stay in-door
(b) prepare for a difficult situation
(c) go somewhere safe
(d) face the obstacles

64. It is difficult to have a sensible discussion with her as she flies off at a tangent.

(a) gets carried away
(b) starts discussing something irrelevant
(c) loses her temper easily
(d) does not really understand anything

65. The students found it hard to go at equal speed with the professor.

(a) get away from
(b) put up with
(c) keep up with
(d) race against

66. The man changed colours when I questioned him on the allocation of funds.

(a) turned pale
(b) got numbed
(c) turned happy
(d) get motivated

67. We cannot depend on him for this assignment as it needs careful handling and he is like a bull in a china shop.

(a) a felicitous person
(b) a clumsy person
(c) a tactful person
(d) a no-nonsense person

68. The mother always insists on keeping the house spick and span.

(a) open
(b) locked
(c) safe
(d) tidy

1. Idioms and Phrases Exercise
2. Idioms and Phrases Exercise with Answer
3. SSC Word Power Test
4. SSC One Word Substitution Test
5. Antonyms Exercises with Answers
6. Synonyms Exercises with Answers