CELPIP Vocabulary: Idiomatic Expressions Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A manager, speaking to her team, says, "I know no one is happy about the new weekend shifts, but we're going to have to bite the bullet for the next couple of months to meet the deadline." What does the manager mean?
- They will be rewarded later for their hard work.
- They will need to accept a difficult situation. (Correct answer)
- They should eat something before their shift.
- They will have to work without complaining.
Correct answer: They will need to accept a difficult situation.
The idiom 'bite the bullet' means to face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and resolve. The manager is telling the team they must endure the new, undesirable weekend shifts.
Question 2: During a team meeting, Mark suggested that the recent drop in sales was due to a new competitor's aggressive marketing campaign. His boss, Sarah, replied, "You really hit the nail on the head, Mark. That's exactly what our analysis shows." What does Sarah mean by her reply to Mark?
- She believes Mark has identified the problem precisely. (Correct answer)
- She is warning Mark to be more careful with his words.
- She thinks Mark's comment was hurtful.
- She wants Mark to provide a more detailed analysis.
Correct answer: She believes Mark has identified the problem precisely.
The expression 'to hit the nail on the head' means to be exactly right or to accurately identify the cause of a problem. Sarah is confirming that Mark's assessment is correct.
Question 3: Your colleague sends you a text message that says, "I won't be in the office today. I'm feeling a bit under the weather." What is your colleague telling you?
- They are feeling sad about the bad weather.
- They have too much work to do.
- They are feeling slightly ill. (Correct answer)
- They are worried about an upcoming storm.
Correct answer: They are feeling slightly ill.
'Under the weather' is a popular idiom that means feeling unwell or sick. Your colleague is explaining that they are staying home because they are ill.
Question 4: After looking at several apartments for rent in downtown Toronto, Amir told his friend, "Finding a decent place that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is almost impossible." What does Amir mean?
- He is worried about the physical danger of living downtown.
- He is looking for a place that is fully furnished.
- He is having trouble finding an apartment with enough space.
- He thinks most available apartments are extremely expensive. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: He thinks most available apartments are extremely expensive.
The expression 'to cost an arm and a leg' means to be very expensive. Amir is complaining about the high cost of rent in downtown Toronto.
Question 5: My sister lives in Vancouver and I live in Halifax, so I only get to see her once in a blue moon. The phrase 'once in a blue moon' means:
- Very rarely. (Correct answer)
- Only when the sky is clear.
- Every month.
- During a specific holiday.
Correct answer: Very rarely.
The idiom 'once in a blue moon' refers to an event that happens very infrequently. It originates from the rare occurrence of a second full moon within the same calendar month.
Question 6: In which of the following sentences is the idiom 'spill the beans' used correctly?
- He was so clumsy that he managed to spill the beans all over the clean floor.
- The farmer was happy to spill the beans into the silo after a long harvest.
- If you want to make a good chili, you have to spill the beans into the pot at the right time.
- Please don't spill the beans about the surprise party; it's supposed to be a secret. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Please don't spill the beans about the surprise party; it's supposed to be a secret.
'To spill the beans' means to reveal secret information, often unintentionally. The correct sentence uses the idiom to talk about keeping a surprise party a secret. The other options use the phrase literally.
CELPIP Vocabulary: Idiomatic Expressions Questions and Answers 1
A manager, speaking to her team, says, "I know no one is happy about the new weekend shifts, but we're going to have to bite the bullet for the next couple of months to meet the deadline."
What does the manager mean?