Level 3 idioms – Unit 10

Conversation:

Nick:  You look like you’re walking on air.  What’s up?

Sergey:  Remember Sarah?  We met her at the New Year’s Eve party last year?

Nick:  No. Her name doesn’t ring a bell.  What does she look like?

Sergey:  Tall, long dark hair, beautiful blue eyes.

Nick:  I’m still drawing a blank, but what about her?

Sergey:  Well, this morning we met by chance in the coffee shop and we both hit it off right away.  Now, I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but she could be the one for me.  There’s only one small problem.  I can’t lay my hands on her phone number.  She wrote it on a napkin, and now I can’t find it!  I’m on pins and needles.

Nick:  I can imagine.  You know if you don’t call her up within a few days, you’re going to be in hot water.  She’s going to think you don’t like her.

Sergey:  I know.  I know.  What am I going to do?

Nick:  Get a grip!  It won’t help to get upset.  If I were you, I’d go back to the coffee shop tomorrow and try to find her.

Sergey:  Hang on.  It just dawned on me that I changed by jeans when I got home.  I’ll bet her number is in one of the pockets.  I’ll go look.

Nick:  For your sake, I hope it is.  But if it’s not, it serves you right for being so careless.

Sergey:  Here’s her phone number!  It was in my jeans pocket all along.

Vocabulary:

by chance:  accidentally
the one:  the perfect person
hang on:  wait
sake:  benefit, well-being

Idioms:

walk on air                                         feel very happy
ring a bell                                           be something one remembers
draw a blank                                      not be able to remember
hit it off                                              become friendly immediately
jump to conclusions                         form an opinion without all the evidence
lay one’s hands on (something)     be able to find (something)
on pins and needles                          anxious, nervous
in hot water                                        in trouble
get a grip                                            make oneself calm
dawn on (someone)                          (someone) realizes
it serves (someone) right                 (someone) gets the punishment he/she deserves
all along                                              for the whole time

Notes:

ring a bell and draw a blank are opposites.

on pins and needles and on edge have the same meaning.

 

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

Quiz: Level 3 idioms - Unit 10 - True/False exercise

  1. Question 1 of 12

    1.

    If I lost my job, I would be walking on air.

    • Nice!

    • Nice try but wrong

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  2. Question 2 of 12

    2.

    If a name rings a bell, then I know who it is.

    • Right!

    • Wrong

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  3. Question 3 of 12

    3.

    Someone who draws a blank cannot remember something.

    • Correct!

    • Incorrect

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  4. Question 4 of 12

    4.

    When two people hit it off, they never talk to each other again.

    • Great!

    • Not right

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  5. Question 5 of 12

    5.

    I think you should get all the information first before you jump to conclusions.

    • Bravo!

    • Not it

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  6. Question 6 of 12

    6.

    If I can’t lay my hands on something, then it’s lost

    • Sweet!

    • Afraid not

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  7. Question 7 of 12

    7.

    A person who is on pins and needles needs to calm down.

    • Good!

    • No good

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  8. Question 8 of 12

    8.

    Going out with my wife on our anniversary will get me in hot water with my spouse.

    • Perfect!

    • Mistake

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  9. Question 9 of 12

    9.

    If I ask you to get a grip, I want you to hold my hand.

    • Terrific!

    • Not so good

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  10. Question 10 of 12

    10.

    If something dawns on you, your brain is working well.

    • Wonderful!

    • Erroneous

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  11. Question 11 of 12

    11.

    It serves him right if speeds in his car but never gets a ticket.

    • Awesome!

    • No. Not it

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  12. Question 12 of 12

    12.

    If a person loves someone all along, then he/she has never stopped loving that person.

    • Good for you!

    • Sorry. No

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Your Score:  

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Quiz: Level 3 idioms - Unit 10 - exercise

  1. Question 1 of 12

    1.

    I forgot to call my wife to tell her I’d be late, and now I’m __________________.

    • Superb!

    • Sorry. Incorrect

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  2. Question 2 of 12

    2.

    I’m so glad I met Suzanne; she and I __________________ from the very beginning.

    • Nice job!

    • Wrong. I’m afraid

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  3. Question 3 of 12

    3.

    After finding out I got an A on the test, I was __________________.

    • Yes. Correct!

    • No. Incorrect

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  4. Question 4 of 12

    4.

    It _________________ that your birthday is next week. We should celebrate.

    • Well done!

    • Wrong answer

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  5. Question 5 of 12

    5.

    Gerald finally got caught cheating on a test and got expelled from school. __________________.

    • That’s right!

    • That’s wrong

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  6. Question 6 of 12

    6.

    Without more evidence, it’s wrong to __________________ and accuse Jorge of stealing the money.

    • You got it!

    • You didn’t get it

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  7. Question 7 of 12

    7.

    Everyone was __________________ the evening before the big race.

    • Nicely done!

    • No way

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  8. Question 8 of 12

    8.

    Every time I try to remember her name, I __________________.

    • That’s so right!

    • Not this time

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  9. Question 9 of 12

    9.

    __________________. There’s no need to get excited.

    • Right you are!

    • Sorry. Wrong

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  10. Question 10 of 12

    10.

    Could you help me find my keys? I can’t seem to __________________.

    • Yes. Right!

    • No. Wrong

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  11. Question 11 of 12

    11.

    John was in the office __________________ and heard everything we said.

    • That’s good!

    • I’m afraid not

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  12. Question 12 of 12

    12.

    I don’t think his last name is Jackson. That doesn’t __________________.

    • Impressive!

    • Not it

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Your Score:  

Your Ranking:  

Quiz: Level 3 idioms - Units 09-10 - exercise

  1. Question 1 of 20

    1.

    You don’t know his side of the story, so don’t ________________.

    • Awesome!

    • Nice try but wrong

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  2. Question 2 of 20

    2.

    She was listening from the other room ________________, so she heard the whole argument.

    • Perfect!

    • Not it

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  3. Question 3 of 20

    3.

    It was a long party, and ________________ the bill was well over $5,000.

    • Impressive!

    • Not right

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  4. Question 4 of 20

    4.

    While I was driving, it ________________ that I had forgotten to renew my license.

    • Bravo!

    • Incorrect

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  5. Question 5 of 20

    5.

    It’s been a difficult year, but ________________ since I started going back to school.

    • Nice job!

    • Sorry. No

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  6. Question 6 of 20

    6.

    We haven’t gone dancing ________________. Let’s go out tonight.

    • Great!

    • No way

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  7. Question 7 of 20

    7.

    I met my wife in a restaurant, and we ________________ right away.

    • Good for you!

    • You missed it

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  8. Question 8 of 20

    8.

    I know I’ve met her before, but her name doesn’t ________________.

    • Well done!

    • Wrong answer

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  9. Question 9 of 20

    9.

    We’re so happy that the wedding went off ________________.

    • Way to go!

    • Not this time

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  10. Question 10 of 20

    10.

    You do the job so well now. I remember when you were just ________________.

    • Nice!

    • Too bad

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  11. Question 11 of 20

    11.

    When he opened the test booklet, he ________________ and just sat there.

    • You got it!

    • You didn’t get it

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  12. Question 12 of 20

    12.

    She has finished writing three songs and has many more ________________.

    • Wonderful!

    • Afraid not

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  13. Question 13 of 20

    13.

    He’s always driving too fast, so ________________ that he finally got a speeding ticket.

    • Sweet!

    • That’s not it

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  14. Question 14 of 20

    14.

    I’ve been ________________ thinking about my job interview tomorrow morning.

    • Nicely done!

    • Sorry. Wrong

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  15. Question 15 of 20

    15.

    I might be able to ________________ a thousand dollars if you really need it.

    • That’s good!

    • Not very good

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  16. Question 16 of 20

    16.

    They had a major argument and ________________ is that they’re getting divorced.

    • Superb!

    • I’m afraid not

    << BACKNEXT >>Check My Answer!
  17. Question 17 of 20

    17.

    After working for him for ten years, he ________________ and started his own business.

    • Correct!

    • Incorrect

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  18. Question 18 of 20

    18.

    You may feel discouraged now, but ________________ you’ll be okay.

    • Right you are!

    • No way

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  19. Question 19 of 20

    19.

    The party planner got sick, so arrangements for the party are still ________________.

    • Correctly done!

    • Not so good

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  20. Question 20 of 20

    20.

    He was mean to his sister for many years, but now he’s trying to ________________.

    • Well done!

    • No. Incorrect

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Your Score:  

Your Ranking:  

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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