CELSA Idiomatic Expressions 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'let the cat out of the bag' mean?
- To release a pet from confinement
- To accidentally reveal a surprise or secret (Correct answer)
- To cause chaos in a situation
- To avoid a dangerous outcome
Correct answer: To accidentally reveal a surprise or secret
'Let the cat out of the bag' means to accidentally disclose information that was meant to be kept secret.
Question 2: If a plan goes 'back to the drawing board,' it means:
- The plan succeeded completely
- The plan must be restarted from scratch (Correct answer)
- The plan is nearly finished
- The plan has been delayed slightly
Correct answer: The plan must be restarted from scratch
'Back to the drawing board' means starting over entirely because a plan or idea has failed.
Question 3: What does the idiom 'hit the nail on the head' mean?
- To complete a construction task
- To make an exact and accurate statement (Correct answer)
- To strike someone forcefully
- To solve a problem through physical effort
Correct answer: To make an exact and accurate statement
'Hit the nail on the head' means to describe exactly what is true or to identify the precise issue.
Question 4: When someone says 'it's raining cats and dogs,' they mean:
- Animals are falling from the sky
- It is raining very heavily (Correct answer)
- There is a storm forecast
- The weather is unpredictable
Correct answer: It is raining very heavily
'Raining cats and dogs' is an idiom for extremely heavy rainfall.
Question 5: The idiom 'cost an arm and a leg' means something is:
- Physically dangerous to obtain
- Extremely expensive (Correct answer)
- Difficult to carry
- Available only in large quantities
Correct answer: Extremely expensive
'Cost an arm and a leg' means something is very expensive or costs a great deal of money.
Question 6: What does 'beat around the bush' mean?
- To search for hidden objects
- To avoid getting to the main point (Correct answer)
- To work inefficiently outdoors
- To argue without clear reasons
Correct answer: To avoid getting to the main point
'Beat around the bush' means to avoid discussing the main topic or to speak indirectly.
Question 7: If someone 'has a chip on their shoulder,' they are:
- Eating informally
- Holding a long-standing grudge or feeling inferior (Correct answer)
- Carrying too much responsibility
- Acting overly generous
Correct answer: Holding a long-standing grudge or feeling inferior
'Having a chip on your shoulder' means carrying resentment or believing you have been treated unfairly.
CELSA Idiomatic Expressions 3
What does 'let the cat out of the bag' mean?