Direction
(1-15): The sentences given below consists of an idiom given in bold. From
the given alternatives identify the most suitable option reflecting the meaning
of the idiom.
Q1. Everything went off the rails when the owner’s son took over the company.
(a) stop discussing an issue
(b) something you never forget how to do
(c) begin behaving in an uncontrolled or unacceptable way
(d) a big fuss about a small problem
(e) have more energy after having been tired
Q2. She was fired from the company last year, but she had the last
laugh when she was hired by their main rival at twice the
salary.
(a) to succeed when others thought you would not
(b) hear news of something secret
(c) fail spectacularly
(d) to rudely reply
(e) to take over control of something
Q3. Mother Nature threw us a curve ball last winter with record-breaking amounts of snow.
(a) a sign of hope
(b) to quickly say something
(c) to be ruined by poor management
(d) to surprise someone with something that is difficult or
unpleasant to deal with
(e) the easiest possible way
Q4. I thought he really won the lottery but he was only pulling my
chain.
(a) something very likely to happen, occur or take place
(b) to deceive someone in a friendly or playful way
(c) out of control
(d) trouble is coming
(e) getting a good start is important
Q5. I started working out at the gym again and it feels
great to be back
in the saddle.
(a) doing something that you had stopped doing for a while
(b) so completely frustrated and upset that you’re unsure
what to do
(c) use all your strength and ability to achieve something,
or to be in very vicious combat
(d) help someone with something
(e) doing something poorly in order to save time or money
Q6. To compare Italian food with Mexican food is to compare
apples with oranges.
(a) let’s not talk about that problem right now
(b) to make a mistake.
(c) things that are completely different
(d) give away a secret
(e) in great detail or completely
Q7. We all sat sipping our tea quietly, no one wanting to
bring up the elephant
in the room about Joel’s expulsion from college.
(a) the big issue or the problem people are avoiding
(b) to think about something very hard, or to try to
remember something
(c) something that you find very easy to do
(d) to be able to think and handle a situation quickly
(e) doing the same thing again and again
Q8. After thinking about it for years, he finally threw
caution to the wind, quit his job, and started his own
company.
(a) to not say something that you want to say
(b) to work/ study late in the night
(c) doing something for many years without any considerable
progress
(d) take a risk
(e) to have no knowledge about something
Q9. Once the video game hit the market, word of mouth
caused a
snowball effect that made it the most popular and top
grossing game of all time.
(a) to improve poor or bad behaviour
(b) to carefully think about or consider something
(c) events have momentum and build upon each other.
(d) available and ready to work
(e) to hit someone and win a fight with them
Q10. The researcher left no stone unturned in her search for the ancient manuscript.
(a) work better or leave
(b) to lose consciousness
(c) at the usual and expected standard
(d) when something happens or is successful
(e) make every possible effort
SOLUTIONS:
S1. Ans (c)
Sol. Go off the rails– to
lose control and start to behave in a way that is not normal or acceptable.
Hence, option (c) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S2. Ans (a)
Sol. To have the last laugh
means to ultimately triumph, to achieve vindication.
Hence, option (a) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S3. Ans (d)
Sol. Throw a
curveball– to do something unexpected or deceptive that surprises,
confuses, thwarts, or outwits one.
Hence, option (d) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S4. Ans (b)
Sol. Pull someone’s chain– tease
someone by leading them to believe something untrue.
Hence, option (b) becomes the most viable answer choice.
S5. Ans (a)
Sol. Back in the saddle– resuming
something after an absence.
Hence, option (a) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S6. Ans (c)
Sol. Compare apples with oranges– used to say that two things are completely different and it is not
sensible to compare them.
Hence, option (c) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S7. Ans (a)
Sol. Elephant in the room– an
obvious truth or fact, especially one regarded as embarrassing or undesirable,
that is being intentionally ignored or left unaddressed.
Hence, option (a) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S8. Ans (d)
Sol. Throw caution to the wind– to do something without worrying about the risk or negative results.
Hence, option (d) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S9. Ans (c)
Sol. A snowball effect– a
situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and
faster rate.
Hence, option (c) becomes the most viable answer
choice.
S10. Ans (e)
Sol. Leave no stone unturned– try
every possible course of action in order to achieve something.
Hence, option (e) becomes the most viable answer
choice.