2015-08-21
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1) Tears are part and parcel of growing up. 2) The boss was ranting and raving at us. 3) The old cottage has gone to rack and ruin. 4) He’s so prim and proper at work. 5) The hotel was a bit of rough and ready. 6) She has to wine and dine important clients. 7) Let’s have the main things packed; we can do the odds and ends later. 8) Every relationship needs a bit of give and take. 9) You can pick and choose, it’s up to you. 10) My English is progressing in leaps and bounds. 11) It’s nice to have some peace and quiet. 12) First and foremost, you must work hard. 13) We’ve have meetings on and off. 14) I’ve been running back and forth all day. 15) She is better now and out and about again. 16) He is unemployed and down and out. 17) I’m glad you are safe and sound after such a dangerous journey.
8.* Decide which word or phrase completes the sentence and insert it. You may consult the dictionary of collocations.
1. He didn’t know anything about business, so starting his own was ____________.
a) a leap into the clouds b) a leap in the dark c) a leap into the whole
2. His new car is amazing, but it must have cost him ___________________.
a) a packet b) the sea c) the Sun
3. I hate the way he criticises everybody. It really rattles __________________.
a) my back b) my bones c) my cage
4. When her business crashed, she had to pick up ___________ and start again.
a) the fragments b) the pieces c) the stones
5. She felt really bad when she realised that she had lost her watch. It wasn’t expensive but it had sentimental ______________.
a) expense b) price c) value
6. I used to go to church under false _____. I never wanted to go but my mother made me.
a) agreements b) feelings c) pretences
7. One minute they were just talking and then all hell broke _____________ and everybody started screaming and shouting.
a) free b) loose c) over
8. He never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the ______.
a) book b) instructions c) principles
9. Don’t tell Mary your plans or she’ll tell everybody. She is always ______ her mouth off.
a) shooting b) speaking c) talking
10. Tom might be able to help with your problem. He has friends in high ____________ who might be able to change the decision.
a) jobs b) places c) spots
9.* Group the given phraseological units into native and borrowed ones. State the sources of their origin.
1) Sir Toby: “Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?”. 2) He is a classic modern tough guy as well as being an Old Testament prodigal son. 3) She achieved success by the sweat of her brow. 4) I think Frank’s vanity is his Achilles’ heel. 5) My rejoinder was like a voice crying out in the wilderness. 6) But tormented though I was with guilt and self-doubt, I knew I had crossed the Rubicon. 7) This territory has become an apple of discord between two countries. 8) Wearing her heart on her sleeve, she gushed over any man who took an interest in her. 9) A regular old salt, almost. 10) The only fly in the ointment was Jacky. 11) The boy took French leave of his parents to go to the football match. 12) The observed of all observers, the fantasied of all fantasists (a newpaper headline). 13) They were living in a fool's paradise, refusing to accept that they were in debt.
