Exercise-11
Directions: In each of the following questions, choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase printed in bold type.
1.To put somebody in his place
(a) To turn him out
 (b) To honour him
 (c) To give him due respect
(d) To make him humble
2. To talk shop
(a) To talk nonsense
(b) To talk reasonably
 (c) To talk about business or professional affairs
(d) To abuse someone
3. To keep one’s head above water
(a) To be cautious
(b) To keep out of debt
(c) To remain aloof
(d) None of these
4. To go at each other hammer and tongs
(a) To fight with weapons
(b) To argue nosily
(c) To hug each other
(d) To go crazy about meeting each other
5. To live fast
(a) To lead a life of dissipation
(b) To accomplish a purpose
(c) To do a task hurriedly
(d) To use up one’s income as fast as it comes in
6. Once in a blue moon
(a) Once in a month
(b) Bi-weekly
(c) On rare occasions
(d) Every now and then
7. To hold a brief for
(a) To help someone
 (b) To do someone a favour.
(c) To stay on for a brief period
(d) To defend someone
8. To hold somebody to ransom
(a) To keep captive and demand concession
(b) To humiliate somebody
(c) To offer bribe
(d) To blackmail and extract money
9. To hit the jackpot
(a) To gamble
(b) To get an unexpected victory
(c) To be wealthy
(d) To make money unexpectedly
10. To let the cat out of the bag
(a) To give latitude
(b) To show compassion
(c) To miss a golden opportunity
 (d) To tell a secret without intending to do so
11. To pay off old scores
(a) To have one’s revenge
(b) To settle a dispute
 (c) To repay the old loan
(d) None of these
12. A cock-and-bull story
(a) A true story
(b) A children’s story
(c) A story of animals
 (d) A foolish and concocted story
13. To beat the air
(a) To make frantic efforts
(b) To act foolishly
 (c) To make efforts that is useless or vain
 (d) To make every possible effort
14. To be a Good Samaritan
(a) To be law-abiding
(b) A wise person
(c) A religious person
 (d) A genuinely charitable person
15. To take a leaf out of somebody’s book
(a) To take him as a model
(b) To steal something valuable
 (c) To follow the dictates of someone
(d) To conform to other’s standard
Answers:-
1.(d)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2. (c)
3. (b)Â Â Â Â Â Â 4. (b)
5. (a)Â Â Â Â Â Â 6. (c)
7. (d)Â Â Â Â Â Â 8. (a)
9. (b)Â Â Â Â Â Â 10. (d)
11. (b)Â Â Â Â Â 12. (d)
13. (c)Â Â Â Â Â 14. (d)
15. (a)
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