1. He was feeling under the weather. This means:
a) He was happy and carefree.
b) He was feeling unwell.
c) He was experiencing financial difficulties.
d) He was feeling lonely.
Answer: b) He was feeling unwell.
Explanation: “Under the weather” is an idiom that means to be feeling sick or unwell.
2. It was a piece of cake. This means:
a) It was a delicious dessert.
b) It was a challenging task.
c) It was an easy task.
d) It was a time-consuming task.
Answer: c) It was an easy task.
Explanation: “A piece of cake” is an idiom that means something was very easy to do or achieve.
3. She went the extra mile. This means:
a) She took a shortcut.
b) She put in extra effort.
c) She made a mistake.
d) She arrived late.
Answer: b) She put in extra effort.
Explanation: “Go the extra mile” means to do more than what is expected or required.
4. He hit the nail on the head. This means:
a) He made a mistake.
b) He was exactly right.
c) He was confused.
d) He was being aggressive.
Answer: b) He was exactly right.
Explanation: “Hit the nail on the head” means to be completely accurate or to perfectly understand a situation.
5. They jumped on the bandwagon. This means:
a) They started a new trend.
b) They followed a popular trend.
c) They disagreed with the majority.
d) They were hesitant to join in.
Answer: b) They followed a popular trend.
Explanation: “Jump on the bandwagon” means to join a popular trend or activity, often without much thought or analysis.
6. They saw eye to eye. This means:
a) They avoided looking at each other.
b) They disagreed with each other.
c) They understood each other completely.
d) They were suspicious of each other.
Answer: c) They understood each other completely.
Explanation: “See eye to eye” means to agree with each other or have the same opinion.
7. He was barking up the wrong tree. This means:
a) He was giving good advice.
b) He was on the right track.
c) He was wasting his time on something that wouldn’t work.
d) He was being rude.
Answer: c) He was wasting his time on something that wouldn’t work.
Explanation: “Barking up the wrong tree” means to be looking in the wrong place for something or to be pursuing the wrong course of action.
Bonus:
8. It rained cats and dogs. This means:
a) It rained lightly.
b) It rained heavily.
c) It snowed heavily.
d) It hailed.
Answer: b) It rained heavily.
Explanation: While the literal meaning doesn’t make sense, “It rained cats and dogs” is a humorous idiom that means to rain very heavily.
9. “Bite the bullet” This means:
a) To chew a bullet
b) To face a difficult situation with courage
c) To avoid confrontation
d) To hide the truth
Answer: b) To face a difficult situation with courage
Explanation: The idiom “Bite the bullet” means to endure a painful or difficult situation with courage and resilience.
10. “Cry over spilled milk” This means:
a) To mourn a loss
b) To regret something that cannot be changed
c) To celebrate success
d) To ignore mistakes
Answer: b) To regret something that cannot be changed
Explanation: The idiom “Cry over spilled milk” suggests that one should not waste time worrying about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
11. “Burn the midnight oil” This means:
a) To waste time
b) To work late into the night
c) To stay idle
d) To conserve energy
Answer: b) To work late into the night
Explanation: “Burn the midnight oil” means to work late into the night, especially to complete a task or project.
12. “Break the ice” This means:
a) To melt something
b) To initiate a conversation in a social setting
c) To create a conflict
d) To avoid communication
Answer: b) To initiate a conversation in a social setting
Explanation: “Break the ice” means to initiate a conversation in a social setting to make people feel more comfortable.
13. “Cost an arm and a leg” This means:
a) To be very affordable
b) To be extremely expensive
c) To be valuable
d) To be a fair deal
Answer: b) To be extremely expensive
Explanation: “Cost an arm and a leg” is used to describe something that is very expensive or costs a lot.
14. “Spill the beans” This means:
a) To keep a secret
b) To reveal a secret
c) To avoid gossip
d) To break something
Answer: b) To reveal a secret
Explanation: “Spill the beans” means to disclose or reveal a secret, often unintentionally.
15. “Hit the hay” This means:
a) To start a fight
b) To go to bed
c) To work on a farm
d) To take a break
Answer: b) To go to bed
Explanation: “Hit the hay” is a colloquial expression for going to bed or going to sleep.
16. She had cold feet. This means:
a) She was feeling cold.
b) She was excited and enthusiastic.
c) She was nervous or hesitant about something.
d) She was feeling unwell.
Answer: c) She was nervous or hesitant about something.
Explanation: “Cold feet” describes someone who loses their nerve or becomes hesitant, often at the last minute.
17. He was pulling someone’s leg. This means:
a) He was helping someone up.
b) He was telling someone a lie in a playful way.
c) He was trying to trip someone.
d) He was seriously criticising someone.
Answer: b) He was telling someone a lie in a playful way.
Explanation: “Pulling someone’s leg” means to tell someone a joke or tease them in a good-natured way.
18. They were at odds with each other. This means:
a) They were working together.
b) They were in agreement with each other.
c) They were arguing or disagreeing.
d) They were ignoring each other.
Answer: c) They were arguing or disagreeing.
Explanation: “At odds” means to be in conflict, disagreement, or opposition.
19. He couldn’t see the forest for the trees. This means:
a) He had poor eyesight.
b) He was lost in a forest.
c) He was unable to see the bigger picture because he was focusing on too many small details.
d) He was overwhelmed by a task.
Answer: c) He was unable to see the bigger picture because he was focusing on too many small details.
Explanation: This idiom means that someone is so focused on minor details that they miss the overall situation or important aspects.
20. He was burning the midnight oil. This means:
a) He was working late at night.
b) He was staying up late to party.
c) He was feeling tired and sleepy.
d) He was facing financial difficulties.
Answer: a) He was working late at night.
Explanation: “Burning the midnight oil” refers to staying up late at night, typically to work or study.
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