Directions (1-15): In the following questions, out of the four alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom/phrase.
Q1. Zero tolerance
Accuracy is paramount
Non-acceptance of antisocial behaviour
No return without risk
No problem at all
Q2. Variety is the spice of life
New experiences make life more interesting
Experimentation may be risky
Life is very beautiful
There is no life without excitement
Q3. Scot-free
To escape from captivity
Be free of all responsibilities
To Get something unexpected
Without suffering any punishment or injury
Q4. Tongue-in-cheek
Insincere; joking
To praise wholeheartedly
A sensational news
To hurt someone intentionally
Q5. Wear your heart on your sleeve
A very bold person
A noble pure person
Make one’s feelings apparent
Being overtly polite at all times
Q6. When it rains, it pours
One getting much less than what one expected
Calamity always occurs in bad times
You always fall into trouble when you are least prepared
When something bad occurs, it usually occurs more than once
Q7. Add fuel to the fire
Go from one bad situation to another
A cause becomes stronger when more people join
The flame will extinguish if it runs out of oil
Cause a situation to become worse
Q8. A slap on the wrist
A mild punishment
Punishing the wrong person
To hit someone where it hurts the most
To threaten someone
Q9. Actions speak louder than words
Achievers are better than those who talk big
No action can compensate for saying bad words
A pen is mightier than a sword
What someone does mean more than what they say they will do
Q10. A blessing in disguise
A misfortune that eventually has good results
A person who has changed so much that he is now unrecognizable
A prayer asking for God’s favour
A bad person hiding his face behind a mask
Q11. Against the clock
To do a job fast to finish it before a deadline
Time is money
Man is a victim of time
It is useless to fight destiny
Q12. Scapegoat
Animal sacrifice as an offering to God
The most useful animal or person
A lucky person who is forgiven for his crimes
A person who is blamed for the mistakes of others
Q13. A dime a dozen
Strength is in numbers
People who say bad things have no value
Very common and of no particular value
You save more if you buy in large numbers
Q14. A drop in the bucket
So much silence that even a drop can be heard
A very small amount compared with what is needed
The final act before the task is done
A small favour is worth a lot to a person in trouble
Q15. To sweep someone off their feet
To beat someone harshly
To destroy someone’s plan in a clever way
Quickly and overpoweringly charm someone
Make someone follow the rules strictly
SOLUTIONS
1.B
2.A
3.D
4.A
5.C
6.D
7.D
8.A
9.D
10.A
11.A
12.D
13.C
14.B
15.C
