CBSE Class 4 English Idioms and Phrases Assignment

In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/ phrase in bold.

Question. The green-eyed monster strikes a woman the moment she sees her husband talking to another pretty woman.
(a) Anger
(b) Hatred
(c) Envy
(d) Jealousy
Answer : D

Question. To fight tooth and nail
(a) To fight a losing battle
(b) To oppose resolutely
(c) To have a physical fight
(d) To lodge a formal protest
Answer : B

Question. At one’s wit’s end
(a) To understand thoroughly
(b) To be puzzled
(c) To be a stupid person
(d) To behave irrationally
Answer : B

Question. The clerk turned a deaf ear to his officer’s advice.
(a) Disputed
(b) Paid attention to
(c) Disregarded
(d) Acknowledged gratefully
Answer : C

Question. He expects his subordinates to be always at his beck and call.
(a) At rest
(b) At work
(c) At his disposal
(d) At their desks
Answer : C

Question. In the long run
(a) Permanently
(b) Universally
(c) Occasionally
(d) Ultimately
Answer : D

Question. If you are in the good books of the boss, you are sure to rise quickly.
(a) Work well for the boss
(b) Praise the boss
(c) In favour with the boss
(d) Co-operate with boss
Answer : C

Question. The population of our country is increasing by leaps and bounds.
(a) Very slowly
(b) Very quickly
(c) Irregularly
(d) Very systematically
Answer : B

Question. To weigh up the pros and cons is to
(a) Measure the ingredient
(b) Observe etiquette
(c) Consider all facts
(d) Postpone action
Answer : C

Question. My close friend got the sack from his first job recently
(a) Resigned
(b) Got rid of
(c) Was demoted from
(d) Was dismissed from
Answer : D

In the following questions four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase made bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.

Question. A few days before his death, he made a clean breast of everything.
(a) Confessed
(b) Took off his shirt
(c) Suffered
(d) Spoke ill
Answer : A

Question. I am done for.
(a) Ruined
(b) Rewarded
(c) Answered
(d) Questioned
Answer : A

Question. For a healthy and lasting friendship one must be on the level.
(a) Equally rich
(b) Mentally compatible
(c) Honest and sincere
(d) Ready for sacrifices
Answer : C

Question. The foolish young man soon made ducks and drakes of the vast property his father left him.
(a) Squandered
(b) Distributed
(c) Spent
(d) Gave in charity
Answer : A

Question. All his ventures went to the winds.
(a) Dissipated
(b) Spread all over
(c) Got speed of the winds
(d) Became well-known
Answer : A

In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase in bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.

Question. He went on sowing wild oats; he reaped suffering in his later life.
(a) Inviting troubles as a boy
(b) Warning others as a young
(c) Irresponsible pleasure seeking in young age
(d) Sowing grains called oats when young
Answer : C

Question. I don’t know why she has become stand-offish recently
(a) Angry
(b) Hilarious
(c) Indifferent
(d) Unmanageable
Answer : C

Question. Why don’t you put an end to blowing your own trumpet?
(a) Playing your own trumpet to produce music
(b) Making too much noise
(c) Praising your own abilities and achievements
(d) None of these
Answer : C

Question. I knew he had an axe to grind and turned down his offer of help.
(a) A blunt axe
(b) A sharp tongue
(c) A private interest to serve
(d) A tendency to fight
Answer : C

Question. The saint’s life was an open book,
(a) An uncomplicated one
(b) One that held no secrets
(c) An example to all
(d) An interesting biography
Answer : B

Question. Reading between the lines I realised that my friend wanted to keep something from me.
(a) Looking for meanings that are not actually expressed
(b) Reading carelessly
(c) Reading with anxiety
(d) Glancing over the lines
Answer : A

Question. Sometimes, it happens that we have to give the devil his due.
(a) To give credit to even a notorious person
(b) To give encouragement even to the enemy
(c) To invite the devil
(d) To stand in the way of the devil
Answer : B

Question. The king had been made to eat humble pie.
(a) To eat slowly
(b) To have an excellent dish
(c) To eat a good pie
(d) To apologize
Answer : D

Question. He was given Hobson’s choice by the employer.
(a) Excellent choice
(b) No real choice at all
(c) Choice to live or die
(d) First choice
Answer : B

Question. He has a very nice manner, but you would better take what he says with a grain of salt.
(a) To listen to something with considerable doubt
(b) To talk sensibly
(c) To criticize
(d) To complement
Answer : A

 In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase in bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.

Question. When he saw the snake he took to his heels.
(a) Ran away in fear
(b) Went slowly
(c) Walked in fear
(d) Jumped fast
Answer : A

Question. He has to abide by the hard and fast rule of the company.
(a) Flexible
(b) Strict
(c) Difficult
(d) Honest
Answer : B

Question. She goes to her mother’s house off and on.
(a) Frequently
(b) Rarely
(c) Occasionally
(d) Sometimes
Answer : C

Question. The robber murdered, the woman in cold blood for the sake of the jewels.
(a) A murder done without feeling
(b) A murder done in revenge
(c) A murder done in great anger
(d) A murder done in enmity
Answer : A

Question. Indians was going places in the field of software technology.
(a) Going abroad
(b) Going to spaces
(c) Talented and successful
(d) Friendly and amicable
Answer : C

In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase given in bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase given in bold.

Question. The poet drew on his fancy not his knowledge of Nature, when he wrote his poem on birds.
(a) Used his understanding
(b) Used his knowledge
(c) Used his imagination
(d) Used his skill
Answer : C

Question. My neighbour had to pay through his nose for a brand new car.
(a) Pay huge loans
(b) Pay a reasonable price
(c) Pay an extremely high price
(d) Make a quick buck
Answer : C

Question. Very ambitious people do not like to rest on their laurels.
(a) To be unhappy
(b) To be motivated
(c) To be impatient
(d) To be complacent
Answer : D

Question. If he phones again, I am going to give him a piece of my mind.
(a) To be nice to him
(b) To take revenge on him
(c) To reprimand him
(d) To support him
Answer : C

Question. The party high command wanted to stave off an open battle.
(a) Postpone
(b) Wait and see
(c) Allow it to take its own course
(d) Prevent
Answer : A

Question. Ramesh takes after his father.
(a) Follows
(b) Imitates
(c) Obeys
(d) Resembles
Answer : D

Question. They made no bones about acknowledging their debt to his genius.
(a) Did not have any hesitation in
(b) Did not have any faith in
(c) Demanded compensation for
(d) Had problems in
Answer : A

Question. It is evident from the minister’s statement that heads will roll in the Secretariat.
(a) Transfers will take place
(b) Heads will be cut off
(c) People will die
(d) Dismissals will occur
Answer : A

Question. During the last moments of his life, the criminal made a clean breast of everything he had done.
(a) Showed his breast
(b) Fought like a hero
(c) Confessed without reserve
(d) Faced bravely
Answer : C

Question. She tries very hard to keep up with her rich neighbours.
(a) To imitate
(b) To keep in touch
(c) To avoid
(d) To be on par
Answer : B

In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase given in bold. Choose the alternatives which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/ phrase given in bold.

Question. The failure of crops in successive years put the farmer in a tight corner
(a) In a closed room
(b) In a small field
(c) In a difficult situation
(d) In a meadow
Answer : C

Question. The effort to trace the culprit was a wild goose chase.
(a) Fruitful hunting
(b) Futile search
(c) Ideal seeking
(d) Genuine effort
Answer : B

Question. The story does not hold water.
(a) Does not deserve appreciation
(b) Does not fulfil the requirements
(c) Cannot be believed
(d) Cannot be valued
Answer : C

Question. Raj couldn’t pay the bill, so he asked the owner to put it on the cuff.
(a) On credit
(b) Against his credit card
(c) In his bank account
(d) In his friend’s account
Answer : A

Question. His statement is out and out a lie.
(a) Totally
(b) Simply
(c) Merely
(d) Slightly
Answer : A

Question. The luxury car that they bought turned out to be a white elephant.
(a) A rare article
(b) Useful mode of transport
(c) Costly or troublesome possession
(d) A proud possession
Answer : C

Question. If you are fair and square in your work you will prosper.
(a) Active
(b) Honest
(c) Business like
(d) Authoritative
Answer : B

Question. There is no love lost between any two neighbouring countries in the world.
(a) Stop loving
(b) Not on good terms
(c) Forming a group
(d) Have good understanding
Answer : B

Question. The heavy downpour played havoc in the coastal area.
(a) Caused destruction
(b) Caused diseases
(c) Caused floods
(d) Caused hardship
Answer : A

Question. To have a green thumb means
(a) One’s nails are painted green
(b) One is artistic
(c) To have a natural interest in gardening
(d) One has a green tattoo on the thumb
Answer : C

In these questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase given in bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/ phrase given in bold.

Question. For his alleged involvement in espionage, he is under a cloud these days.
(a) Experiencing cloudy weather
(b) Enjoying favourable luck
(c) Under suspicion
(d) Under observation
Answer : C

Question. We have appealed to him again and again; there is no use flogging a dead horse now.
(a) Repeating our request
(b) Making him see reason
(c) Beating about the bush
(d) Wasting time in useless effort
Answer : D

Question. We shouldn’t look down upon the wretched of the earth.
(a) Sympathise with
(b) Hate intensely
(c) Be indifferent to
(d) Regard with contempt
Answer : D

Question. Because of his misbehaviour, he is bound to face the music.
(a) Get finished
(b) Get reprimanded
(c) Feel sorry
(d) Listen to the music
Answer : B

Question. The working of the factory was disrupted because of a token strike by the workers.
(a) Total strike
(b) Carefully planned strike
(c) Short strike held as a warning
(d) Sudden call of strike
Answer : C

Question. By opposing his proposal he fell foul of him.
(a) Quarrel with
(b) Felt annoyed with
(c) Agreed with
(d) Got into trouble with
Answer : D

Question. Those who work by fits and starts seldom show good results.
(a) Rarely
(b) Disinterestedly
(c) Irregularly
(d) Regularly
Answer : C

Question. The new manager thought that he would give employees enough rope for the first six months after which he would check the work done himself.
(a) Many directives and orders
(b) Sufficient advice
(c) All the material they needed
(d) Enough freedom for action
Answer : D

Question. He was all at sea when he began his new job.
(a) Happy
(b) Sad
(c) Puzzled
(d) Triumphant
Answer : C

Question. The sweeping statement by the boss left the conscientious workers disgusted.
(a) Rash statement
(b) Unpremeditated statement
(c) Thoughtless statement
(d) Generalized statement
Answer : C