Additional Language Exercises

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 632.

Babes in the wood, hold at bay, concrete jungle, on one's doorstep, burn one's boats, in the offing, come rain or shine, break the ice, ships that pass in the night, come home to roost, put down roots, in fool flood, the back of beyond, have green fingers, in one's element, a drop in the ocean, in the same boat, blow hot and cold, on thin ice, cut no ice

1. When she began to talk, all her troubles came out in full flood. 2. You can't blame them for their mistakes: they are just babes in the wood in business matters. 3. After living in London, this little town seems like the back of beyond. 4. When Tom was younger, the pressures of town didn't bother him, he was able to hold this problem at bay. 5. He has always had green fingers, so it is not surprising that they have a beautiful garden. 6. She went for horses and now that they started about races she was in her element. 7. It may not be as exotic as Namibia, but staying at home and helping conserve what's on your own doorstep can be equally exciting. 8. If your father lends us some money it will be very helpful, but it will really only be a drop in the ocean, when we have to pay all our debts. 9. When I told her about all the work I have on hand she said she was in the same boat. 10. I changed my mind about giving up my job, but unfortunately I had burnt my boats by telling my boss that I was leaving. 11. These problems do not disappear just because graduation is in the offing. 12. Come rain or shine, you'll always find him at the football pitch at this time. 13. My girl-friend blew hot and cold about going to the cinema – one minute she was keen to go, the next she wanted us to stay at home. 14. I was nervous when I was introduced to Sally, but she broke the ice by offering me a drink and soon we were dancing together. 15. The football team had lost most of the games, and at the end of the year it was on thin ice. 16. His clever talk cut no ice with me, it left me unimpressed. 17. I knew her slightly, but never got to know her well – we were just two ships that pass in the night. 18. We welcomed the opportunity to break free from the concrete jungle and spend a day out of town. 19. His unkindness to his daughter came home to roost when she refused to look after him. 20. I have high hopes that he will be successful in the job and will put down firm roots in the company.

12. Each of idioms below contains a name of a biological species. Match parts of the idioms to restore their original form and meaning. Later explain what they suggest.

13. Translate the sentences into English making use of the idioms from the previous exercise.

1. This office is a bear garden[114] when the boss is away. 2. Many of the girls can't speak Italian and will have to learn the words parrot fashion[115]. 3. The government and the trade unions are still arguing and until they reach agreement ordinary pigs in the middle[116] like ourselves will have to continue suffering from inflation. 4. We all made pigs of ourselves[117] at dinner and now feel rather sick. 5. He began to suspect that his sister sometimes looked through his pockets while he was asleep, so for several nights he played possum[118]. 6. My brother has a bee in his bonnet[119] about modern art. He can't help talking about how bad it is. 7. I always keep my car in the garage during cold weather and it starts like a bird[120] every morning. 8. He is a man with strong principles who will not easily swallow a camel. 9. In their old flat they didn't have enough room to swing a cat[121], but now they've got plenty of space. 10. Your rent is chicken feed[122] in comparison with mine. 11. The policeman smelt a rat[123]when the man said he hadn't been out at all that night. 12. It doesn't often happen to see an idle, uninterested, no-good MP in the parliament, but there are a few black sheep, as there are anywhere. 13. Don't expect any useful advice from him – he's been living in cloud cuckoo land[124] for years. 14. Then I was a young single woman and the world was my oyster[125]. 15. The car we bought last year is a white elephant[126]; it uses a lot of petrol and breaks down again and again. 16. The government's plans for high taxes on property have been delayed for so long that most people now consider them to be paper tigers[127].

15. Match the acronyms for environment issues and memorise them for future reference.

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change