Idioms, expressions, and proverbs:
Complete the sentences with the animals or animal behaviors listed below and then match the sentences with their meanings! The answers are at the bottom of this post.
-- dogs -- birds -- wolf -- elephant -- mice -- mole -- sheep -- goose -- tiger -- cat -- cat -- bark -- cats --
1/ He's making mountains out of _______ hills.
2/ She let the _______ out of the bag!
3/ His _______ is bigger than his bite.
4/ It's raining _______ and _______.
5/ What's good for the _______ is good for the gander.
6/ _______ of a feather flock together.
7/ She's a _______ mom.
8/ When the _______'s away the _______ will play.
9/ He has an _______'s memory.
10/ He's a _______ in _______'s clothing.
|| It's raining heavily. || She's a strict Asian mom. || He makes big threats but doesn't really do anything. || Similar people associate with one another. || He appears to be gentle, but he's dangerous. (This one comes from the Bible.) || When the person in charge leaves, the others shirk responsibility. || He's exaggerating and making small problems seem big. || What's good for one person is good for others. || She blurted out the secret! || He remembers events for a long time. ||
Expressions with the verb happen:
Match these common expressions with their meanings. The answers are at the bottom of this post.
1/ Accidents will happen.
2/ It happens.
3/ Stranger things have happened.
4/ What happens on tour stays on tour.
5/ It's an accident waiting to happen.
|| Whatever may happen among members of this group must remain a secret. || Mistakes are just part of life. || It's something that is potentially dangerous. || Don't worry about this problem; it's not unusual. || It's not out of the realm of possibility. ||
The Free Dictionary has a big list of expressions with happen.
Enrich your vocabulary || TOEFL words: obtain (verb)
To obtain means to get or attain with effort. It comes from the Latin verb tenēre, to hold. Related words with this root include abstain, contain, detain, and sustain.
That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. ---Thomas Paine
What does the above quote mean?
Can you think of something that can be difficult to obtain?
The Britannica Dictionary: 100 Essential Words for the TOEFL
Answers to animal expressions:
1/ He's making mountains out of molehills. = He's exaggerating and making small problems seem big.
2/ She let the cat out of the bag! = She blurted out the secret!
3/ His bark is bigger than his bite. = He makes big threats but doesn't really do anything.
4/ It's raining cats and dogs. = It's raining heavily.
5/ What's good for the goose is good for the gander. = What's good for one person is good for others.
6/ Birds of a feather flock together. = Similar people associate with one another.
7/ She's a tiger mom. = She's a strict Asian mom.
8/ When the cat's away the mice will play. = When the person in charge leaves, the others shirk responsibility.
9/ He has an elephant's memory. = He remembers events for a long time.
10/ He's a wolf in sheep's clothing. = He appears to be gentle, but he's dangerous. (This one comes from the Bible.)
Answers to expressions with happen:
1/ Accidents will happen. = Mistakes are just part of life.
2/ It happens. = Don't worry about this problem; it's not unusual.
3/ Stranger things have happened. = It's not out of the realm of possibility.
4/ What happens on tour stays on tour. = Whatever may happen among members of this group must remain a secret.
5/ It's an accident waiting to happen. = It's something that is potentially dangerous.