Source: English Quiz
1. He went on sowing wild oats; he reaped suffering in his later life.
(1) inviting troubles as a boy
(2) warning others as a youngman
(3) irresponsible pleasure seeking in young age
(4) sowing grains called oats when young
2. I don’t know why she has become stand-offish recently.
(1) angry
(2) hilarious
(3) indifferent
(4) unmanageable
3. Why don’t you put an end to blowing your own trumpet ?
(1) playing your own trumpet to produce music
(2) making too much noise
(3) praising your own abilities and achievements
(4) None of these
4. I knew he had an axe to grind and turned down his offer of help.
(1) a blunt axe
(2) a sharp tongue
(3) a private interest to serve
(4) a tendency to fight
5. The saint’s life was an open book
(1) an uncomplicated one
(2) one that held no secrets
(3) an example to all
(4) an interesting biography
6. Reading between the lines I realised that my friend wanted to keep something from me.
(1) looking for meanings that are not actually expressed
(2) reading carelessly
(3) reading with anxiety
(4) glancing over the lines
7. Sometimes, it happens that we have to give the devil his due.
(1) to give credit to even a notorious person
(2) to give encouragement even to the enemy
(3) to invite the devil
(4) to stand in the way of the devil
8. The king had been made to eat humble pie.
(1) to eat slowly
(2) to have an excellent dish
(3) to eat a good pie
(4) to apologise
9 He was given Hobson’s choice by the employer.
(1) excellent choice
(2) no real choice at all
(3) choice to live or die
(4) first choice
10. He has a very nice manner, but you would better take what he says with a grain of salt.
(1) to listen to something with considerable doubt
(2) to talk sensibly
(3) to criticise
(4) to complement
Answers:
1. (3) souring wild oats : (of young men) to go through a period of wild behaviour while young, especially having a lot of romantic relationships
He sowed his wild oats in early life, but has become sober now.
The best option is irresponsible pleasure seeking in young age.
2. (3) stand-offish : not friendly towards other people; aloof
He can be quite stand-offish and rude, even to his friends.
The best option is indifferent.
3. (3) blowing your own trumpet : to praise your own abilities and achievements; boast
Anyone will tell you she’s one of the best journalists we have got, although she never blows her own trumpet.
The best option is prasising your own abilities and achievements.
4. (3) an axe to grind : to have private reasons for being involved in something or for arguing for a particular cause
He claimed to be disinterested, but I knew he had an axe to grind.
The best option is a private interest to serve.
5 (2) an open book : can easily understand and know everything about somebody
Your health secrets will be an open book to anyone who can do an online search.
The best option is one that held no secrets.
6. (1) reading between the lines : looking for or discovering a meaning
Reading between the lines of the letter, she realised that her friend was in great trouble.
The best option is looking for meanings that are not actually expressed.
7 (2) to give the devil his due : said when you admit that someone you don’t like or admire does have some good qualities
I don’t like her views, but still I give the devil her due; she has always something important to say.
The best option is to give encouragement even to the enemy.
8 (4) to eat humble pie : to say and show that you are sorry for a mistake that you made
The producers of the advertisement had to eat humble pie for misrepresenting the facts.
The best option is to apologise.
9. (2) Hobson’s choice : a situation in which somebody has no choice because if he does not accept what is offered, he will get nothing
We didn’t really want that particular hotel, but it was a case of Hobson’s choice.
The best option is no real choice at all.
10. (1) take with a grain of salt : to hear/ listen/believe with some doubt
You must take anything she says with a grain of salt.
She doesn’t always speak the truth.
The best option is to listen to something with considerable doubt.