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Question
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'One man army'
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Solution
One man army – someone who believes that they can do everything on their own.
Statement: Sumit acted as a one man army for his teammates in office.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
detective I below / go / written / through the / story
Go through the detective story written below.
(a) can be / two / blamed I persons / the murder / for
(b) to the/ there are / culprit / may clues / real / pointing ,
(c) - the / find / murderer / who / real I out / is cy
Rearrange the following words / phrases to form meaningful sentences:
(a) more than / are child workers / the Indian population / five per cent of /
(b) engaged / in agriculture / tens of thousands / are chiefly /
(c) work / in urban areas / many / of industries / in a variety /
Rearrange the following words / phrases to form meaningful sentences:
(a) your destiny / it / right hand / is said / your / that / is in /
(b) problems / determines / how / our personalities / with / in life / we deal /
(c) than others / can cope / some people / better / hardships / with /
Use the following phrase in your own sentence.
By fits and starts
Idioms
Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)
-
Our entire class is quaking in its boots. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Mr Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Mr Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.____________________________.
Here are a few more idiomatic expressions that occur in the text. Try to use them in sentences of your own.
- caught my eye
- laugh ourselves silly
- he’d had enough
- can’t bring myself to
Colours are used to describe feelings, moods and emotions. Match the following ‘colour expressions’ with a suggested paraphrase.
| (i) | the Monday morning blues | feel embarrassed / angry / ashamed |
| (ii) | go red in the face | feel very sick, as if about to vomit |
| (iii) | look green | sadness or depression after a weekend of fun |
| (iv) | the red carpet | the sign or permission to begin an action |
| (v) | blue-blooded | a sign of surrender or acceptance of defeat; a wish to stop fighting |
| (vi) | a green belt | in an unlawful act; while doing something wrong |
| (vii) | a blackguard | a photographic print of building plans; a detailed plan or scheme |
| (viii) | a grey area | land around a town or city where construction is prohibited by law |
| (ix) | a white flag | an area of a subject or a situation where matters are not very clear |
| (x) | a blueprint | a dishonest person with no sense of right or wrong |
| (xi) | red-handed | a special welcome |
| (xii | the green light | of noble birth or from a royal family |
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (para 3)
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour. (para 4)
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)
Here is sentence with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (para 7)
1. This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?
Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.
3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep
Find words or phrases from the passage that mean the same as the following.
(a) to renovate, redo, or revise (paragraph 1)
(b) trying to win the favor, preference, or goodwill of (paragraph 1)
(c) come in small numbers (paragraph 4)
(d) well-off; rich (paragraph 5)
(e) friendly (paragraph 6)
(f) wanting or enjoying expensive pleasures (paragraph 6)
Match the phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B
| Column A | Column B |
| (a) break out | (i) to try to find somebody or something |
| (b) to look for | (ii) as a rule or in general taking all relevant factors into account |
| (c) to take over | (iii) start suddenly and strongly |
| (d) to go into | (iv) to obtain or assume control of something, or gain control of something from somebody else |
| (e) on the whole | (v) to begin a job or career in a particular area of activity |
Make a meaningful sentence of your own using the following phrase.
"to look into”
long term / on / reading / impact / has / a / one’s personality
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase:
to get out of.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
The works of Shakespeare are the __________ of English drama.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
Amitabh has given us awesome movies throughout five decades. But his _______ is his performance in the movie ‘Black’.
There are some phrases where the word crown is used with different shades of meaning. Use the following phrases to complete the sentences meaningfully.
Medical science has great inventions, but organ transplantation is definitely a ______ for human beings.
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
give and take
Find out the meaning of the following phrase. Use them in your own sentence.
a black eye
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'Once in a blue moon'
Guess the meaning of the following idioms and phrases and use them in sentences of your own. One is done for you.
One-size-fits-all – suitable for or used in all circumstances
Statement: The wrist watches have adjustable belts, so one- size- fits- all.
'One up on'
Choose appropriate phrases/expressions from the extract given in the options and fill in the blank appropriately.
Raj ran at a _______ to catch the train.
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
win lots of money
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
money for old rope
Find out the meaning of the phrase given below and use them in your own sentence.
put one’s money where one’s mouth is
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
I ______ the school gate when I heard the school-bell ring.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
Do not stoop to ______ just to gain something from someone.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
The artist completes his paintings ______.
Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
The crime went ______ for 11 years.
Read the following incident.
|
Lokesh had always been a class-topper in tests and examinations. However, invariably, he used foul means during exams to gain those high marks. Once, on the day of History examination, Lokesh realized that his classmate and friend Farhan came all prepared for Maths instead of History. Farhan had become desperate. So Lokesh offered to let him copy from his answer-sheet, since Farhan sat just behind him. Farhan refused. He said, ‘‘It’s all right even if I get a zero, but I can call it my own zero. I do not want to score a single mark, unearned. Cheating in exams is for cowards. Not me!’’ These words were a turning point in Lokesh’s life. He gave up cheating for ever. He worked hard for what he desired and never, ever used false measures to acquire anything. |
(a) In the given story, which words/phrases can be replaced by the following ones?
- became aware ......................
- always ......................
- very upset and helpless ......................
- cheating ......................
- without working for it ......................
- a sudden change ......................
- gain/achieve ......................
(b) Summarize the incident in 6 to 8 lines making Lokesh, the narrator:
Begin with: ‘I was always a class topper.
.....................................................
Rewrite the following sentence inserting the appropriate phrases in their proper form.
(to get out of, to come up, to turn on, to give in, to get into, to come down, to work out, to turn off, to give off, to give out, to work in)
To enjoy the music and relax, he ______ the music and ______ the lights.
Rewrite the following sentence inserting the appropriate phrases in their proper form.
(to get out of, to come up, to turn on, to give in, to get into, to come down, to work out, to turn off, to give off, to give out, to work in)
Smita ______ to her desire and ______ her favourite toys to the poor.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
Our school cricket team got ready for the final match against P. Q. R. High School.
Replace the underline word/phrase with the appropriate one, to retain the proper meaning.
(be the epitome of, gear up, a brief stint, play a major role, in recognition of, take over reins)
After the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth took over the control of Scotland.
Write as many phrases as you can using ‘enough’ and use them in your sentences.
Example: good enough
Match the phrases in table A with lines of the poem given in table B.
| Phrases | Lines |
| (1) Toil hard | (a) If you want a thing bad enough... |
| (2) Get rid of all | (b) If neither cold nor poverty, famished... |
| (3) Extremely poor condition | (c) To work day and night for it. |
| (4) Need desperately | (d) Lose all your terror of the opposition for it. |
Adding different prepositions to the same action verb changes the meaning of the phrases, thus formed.
For example,
call out - announce
call at - visit
call for - summon
call up - make a telephonic call
call off - cancel
Guess the difference in meanings of the underlined phrases.
- He promised to look into the matter.
- He asked me to look for his lost book.
- I shall look forward to your arrival.
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
drop out
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
look forward
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
let (someone) down
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
sign off
Use the following idiom/phrase in sentences of your own.
begin a new
Fill in the gap choosing the appropriate idiom.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungy)
The siren of the ambulance ______ all other traffic noise.
Pick out the words and phrases in the story that indicates that the author was not financially well off. One is done for you.
| Words | not afford | |||
| Phrases | beyond my means |
Fill in the blank a word or a phrase given in the brackets in their appropriate form.
I was____________ when the menu was brought.
Fill in the blank a word or a phrase given in the brackets in their appropriate form.
The author____________ the guest at the play.
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase in your notebook.
in the pursuit of
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase in your notebook.
be afraid of
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase in your notebook.
give up
Read the text again. You will find that the text contains many phrases. Match the phrases in ‘A’ and their meanings in ‘B’. After matching their meanings, make sentences of your own.
| ‘A’ Phrases | ‘B’ Meanings |
| 1. run of terrible bad luck | a. hit on a topic |
| 2. draws heavily on | b. without being affected by a particular factor |
| 3. struck a chord | c. endure in difficult circumstances |
| 4. in spite of | d. a period of time when bad things happen |
| 5. holding on | e. makes use of |
Name the five sensory organs and provide phrases/idioms/proverbs related to them. (One is given for you.)
- to turn a deaf ear ____________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
When different Prepositions are added to the same action verb meaning of the phrase, thus formed changes.
For example,
call out - announce
call at - visit
call for - summon
call up - make a telephone call
Try to guess the meaning of the underlined phrase and write them down.
- He promised me to look into the matter.
- He wanted to look for his lost book.
When different Prepositions are added to the same action verb meaning of the phrase, thus formed changes.
For example,
call out - announce
call at - visit
call for - summon
call up - make a telephone call
Try to guess the meaning of the underlined phrase and write them down.
- An epidemic of Cholera broke out in the village.
- The thieves broke into the apartment
Make a meaningful sentence by using the phrase “to belong to”.
Look up the meanings of the following phrases under ‘dream’ and ‘sell’ in the dictionary
| dream | sell |
| dream on | sell-by date |
| dream something away | selling-point |
| (not) dream of doing something | sell-out |
| dream something up | selling price |
| look like a dream | seller’s market |
Make a meaningful sentence by using the following phrase:
'pitched in to help'
Make a meaningful sentence by using the phrase 'to run away'.
Make a meaningful sentence by using the phrase ‘to look after’.
