CELSA Idiomatic Expressions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the idiom 'bite the bullet' mean?
- To eat quickly
- To endure a painful situation with courage (Correct answer)
- To speak harshly to someone
- To make a reckless decision
Correct answer: To endure a painful situation with courage
'Bite the bullet' means to endure a difficult or painful situation stoically, originating from soldiers biting a bullet during surgery.
Question 2: If someone tells you to 'burn your bridges,' they are warning you not to:
- Travel too far from home
- Destroy future opportunities by acting rashly (Correct answer)
- Work too hard on a project
- Spend all your money at once
Correct answer: Destroy future opportunities by acting rashly
'Burning your bridges' means permanently damaging relationships or eliminating future options through careless actions.
Question 3: The phrase 'spill the beans' means to:
- Make a mess in the kitchen
- Accidentally reveal a secret (Correct answer)
- Cook a large meal
- Waste resources carelessly
Correct answer: Accidentally reveal a secret
'Spill the beans' means to inadvertently or prematurely reveal confidential information.
Question 4: What does 'under the weather' describe?
- Caught in a storm
- Feeling slightly ill (Correct answer)
- Working outdoors
- Being emotionally overwhelmed
Correct answer: Feeling slightly ill
'Under the weather' is an idiom meaning to feel unwell or slightly sick.
Question 5: When someone says 'the ball is in your court,' what do they mean?
- You should play a sport
- It is now your responsibility to act (Correct answer)
- You have won a competition
- You should stay where you are
Correct answer: It is now your responsibility to act
'The ball is in your court' means the next decision or action is the other person's responsibility.
Question 6: What does the idiom 'break the ice' mean?
- To cause damage to frozen pipes
- To reduce tension in a social situation (Correct answer)
- To end a relationship abruptly
- To start a dangerous activity
Correct answer: To reduce tension in a social situation
'Break the ice' means to initiate conversation or ease awkwardness in a social setting.
Question 7: The expression 'on the fence' means someone is:
- Doing yard work
- Undecided between two options (Correct answer)
- Waiting for instructions
- Watching from a distance
Correct answer: Undecided between two options
'On the fence' describes someone who is neutral or undecided about a particular issue.
CELSA Idiomatic Expressions 2
What does the idiom 'bite the bullet' mean?