Consolidation 10

Question 1

a long shot

It’s** a long shot**, but it just might work

Answer 1

a risky guess

Question 2

a memory like a sieve

Answer 2

a poor memory

Question 3

be all at sea

I’m **all at sea **with these new regulations.

Answer 3

be in a state of confusion

Question 4

be in sb’s shoes

Answer 4

be in sb’s position

Question 5

be in the same boat

Answer 5

be in the same (usually bad) situation

Question 6

be the spitting image of sb

Answer 6

look exactly like sb

Question 7

be/get soaked to the skin

Answer 7

be/get very wet

Question 8

be/have a close shave/call

He had a close shave when his brakes fail on the mountain road.

Answer 8

barely escape an accident, etc.

Question 9

behind the scenes

Answer 9

in secret

Question 10

come out of one’s shell

He’s really **come out of his shell **since he met Marie.

Answer 10

gain personal confidence

Question 11

does it show?

Answer 11

is it obvious?

Question 12

give sb the slip

I managed to give him the slip by hiding behind a wall.

Answer 12

escape from sb

Question 13

go for a song

They property is going for a song because they need to sell it fast.

Answer 13

be sold very cheaply

Question 14

go without saying

Of course I’ll help you. That goes without saying.

Answer 14

be a foregone conclusion

Question 15

hit the sack

I decided to hit the sack and have an early night.

Answer 15

go to bed

Question 16

live out of a suitcase

Answer 16

travel often

Question 17

make quite a scene

She had made a scene in the middle of the party.

Answer 17

become angry in a dramatic way

Question 18

on a shoestring

In the early years, the business was run on a shoestring.

Answer 18

on a very small budget

Question 19

pull a few strings

Francis pulled strings to get him out of trouble.

Answer 19

use influential friends in order to obtain an advantage

Question 20

pull one’s socks up

If they want promotion, United have got to pull their socks up.

Answer 20

make a greater effort

Question 21

sleep on it

Could I sleep on it and let you know tomorrow?

Answer 21

think about sth

Question 22

smell a rat

Answer 22

suspect that sth is wrong

Question 24

spill the beans

Answer 24

reveal a secret

Question 25

stand in sb’s way

Answer 25

prevent sb from doing sth

Question 26

take sth with a pinch/grain of salt

Most of what he says should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Answer 26

not to believe completely

Question 27

the last/final straw | the straw that breaks the camel’s back

Answer 27

the last and worst episode in a chain of bad experiences

Question 28

thick-skinned

Answer 28

insensitive