ESL #8

Question 1

to agree to accept a challenge; to start to do something that is very difficult

Answer 1

to take on

Question 2

to underestimate one’s abilities; to believe that one cannot do something when one actually can

Answer 2

to sell (oneself) short

Question 3

to be a very bad dancer; to be unable to use one’s body gracefully or elegantly

Answer 3

to have two left feet

Question 4

not able to control the movements of one’s body in a graceful, purposeful way; not able to move one’s arms and legs as one would like to, especially not at the same time

Answer 4

uncoordinated

Question 5

one’s ability to feel the beats (regular strong points) of a song and move one’s body or play an instrument in accordance with them

Answer 5

sense of rhythm

Question 6

prepared and qualified to do something; with the qualifications or characteristics needed to do something well

Answer 6

cut out for

Question 7

to make plans or worry about what will happen in the future before one has dealt with what needs to be done right now; to focus on the future more than the present, especially when completing a task

Answer 7

to get ahead of (oneself)

Question 8

to relax and become less tense or stiff, especially in one’s muscles

Answer 8

to loosen up

Question 9

to gently and slowly move back and forth

Answer 9

to sway

Question 10

to purposefully move one’s hips (the side of one’s body above the leg and below one’s waist), usually while dancing

Answer 10

to swing (one’s) hips

Question 11

individual movements with one’s feet while dancing; how one is supposed to move one’s feet and body while dancing

Answer 11

dance step

Question 12

a memorized series of dance steps used to dance to a particular piece of music as part of a performance; choreography

Answer 12

dance routine

Question 13

later; in the future; eventually

Answer 13

down the line

Question 14

a plan or dream that is impossible and cannot be achieved

Answer 14

pipe dream

Question 15

a word used to show that one does not believe what another person has said, and that it has no meaning or logic

Answer 15

nonsense

Question 16

easy; without trying

Answer 16

effortless

Question 17

hippopotamus; a large, hairless animal with a big belly, very short legs, and a big head that spends most of its time in the water, often used to describe people who are not graceful or elegant

Answer 17

hippo

Question 18

an organized effort to respond to unplanned events where people or property are in danger

Answer 18

emergency response

Question 19

a person whose job is to put out large fires

Answer 19

firefighter

Question 20

a person who is respected and admired because he or she helps others

Answer 20

hero

Question 21

a person who has no value or use; a person who does not make contributions to society; a loser

Answer 21

zero

Question 22

to imprison; to force someone to stay in a jail or prison as a punishment

Answer 22

to incarcerate

Question 23

an event that causes great, widespread destruction

Answer 23

catastrophe

Question 24

notable disaster that causes extensive damage and distress

Answer 24

calamity

Question 25

an occurrence that causes a major widespread damage and destruction

Answer 25

disaster

Question 26

in order that; to the extent that

Answer 26

so that

Question 27

a sudden feeling of extra energy in response to some emergency, with the adrenaline hormone giving one extra energy to either fight an enemy or to run away from some danger

Answer 27

adrenaline rush

Question 28

to try to make a large fire stop burning; to put out a large fire

Answer 28

to fight fires

Question 29

an area of land with many rocks or stones

Answer 29

rocky terrain

Question 30

an area of land covered with sand, like a beach

Answer 30

sandy terrain

Question 31

approximately; within the range of

Answer 31

anywhere between

Question 32

equipment; tools and other items needed to perform a certain type of task

Answer 32

gear

Question 33

a phenomenon when there is more water than usual in rivers, so they overflow, and water covers streets and gets into homes and buildings that normally remain dry

Answer 33

flood

Question 34

an organized attempt to find and help someone who is lost and/or in danger

Answer 34

search-and-rescue operation

Question 35

to apply; to submit papers to ask for a job

Answer 35

to put in an application

Question 36

to agree to give someone a job; to agree to make someone one’s employee

Answer 36

to hire

Question 37

the name and contact information for a person who can provide additional information, especially about someone’s qualifications or experience

Answer 37

reference

Question 38

to say good things about someone or something; to indicate that someone is a good person or that something will be a good choice

Answer 38

to vouch for

Question 39

reliable, trustworthy, and good

Answer 39

solid

Question 40

to say something good about a person or to recommend someone for an opportunity in an informal way

Answer 40

to put in a good word

Question 41

words or actions that make one feel more certain that something will happen in a particular way

Answer 41

assurance

Question 42

personality; the personal characteristics that seem to be a permanent characteristic of a person, not learned over time, especially how one shows one’s emotions

Answer 42

temperament

Question 43

one’s commitment to working hard and finishing what one has started; one’s commitment to a job or project

Answer 43

work ethic

Question 44

at work; through experience in a particular position, not by reading about something or listening to others talk about it

Answer 44

on the job

Question 45

a person who learns things very quickly and does not need a lot of instruction or guidance

Answer 45

quick study

Question 46

to rationalize; to provide a logical reason for something; to be able to explain what has happened in a way that makes sense to oneself and others

Answer 46

to justify

Question 47

to choose not to have or do something because one is having or doing something else

Answer 47

to pass up

Question 48

with the necessary skills, experience, and knowledge for a position or opportunity; meeting all the qualifications of something

Answer 48

qualified

Question 49

very strong praise for a person or thing; full support and recommendation for someone or something

Answer 49

ringing endorsement