ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST

Idioms are Phrases are an important part of the English
Language test in almost all Entrance Exams like Bank PO,Bank Clerk, MBA,
CAT, SSC, LIC, NDA, CDS, B Ed, etc. Idioms and phrases are similar to
"muhavare" that we have in Hindi.
Directions:
In each of the following questions part of sentence is in bold. Four
alternative meanings of the highlited part of the sentence are given below the
sentence. Mark as your answer that alternative meaning which you think is
correct. If none of the first four is correct, mark (5) i.e. none of these as
your answer.

1. In the last few years India has advanced by leaps
and bounds in the industrial sector.

1. Very rapidly

2. Very competently

3. Very slowly

4. Very pathetically

5. None of these

2. The authorities turned a deaf ear to the
demands of the employees.

1. Immediately implemented

2. Agreed to listen to

3. Misrepresented

4. Whole-heartedly agreed to

5. None of these

3. He was in doldrums after the quarrel he
had with his brother.

1. He was jubilant

2. He was in low spirits

3. He was in a financial difficulty

4. He left the house

5. None of these

4. If you pass this difficult examination it will be
a feather in you cap

1. Your parents will be very happy

2. You will get a scholarship for higher studies

3. You will feel proud of it

4. You will get a very good job

5. None of these

5. Tell me plainly who broke the mirror, do not beat
about the bush.

1. Pretend to be unaware of the matter

2. Try to impress me with your arguments

3. Put any blame on others

4. Approach the matter in a round about way

5. None of these


6. Some people have a habit of wearing their heart
on their sleeve.

1. saying something which is not to be taken seriously

2. exposing their innermost feelings to others

3. avoiding being friendly with others

4. always trying to gain advantage over others

5. wasting their time on unnecessary details

7. I raked my brains to solve this difficult problem.

1. I read number of books

2. I consulted several people

3. I used my commonsense

4. I subjected my mind to hard thinking

5. I brainwashed several experts

8. He was a king who ruled his subjects with a high
hand.

1. sympathetically

2. kindly

3. democratically

4. conveniently

5. oppressively

9. It is a matter of gratification for me that he has turned
a new leaf.

1. begun a different mode of life

2. proved to be a worthy person on his job

3. decided to use a different strategy to solve the problem

4. accepted the new job that was offered to him

5. started using his intelligence

10. He is a plain, simple and sincere man, he will always call
a spade a spade.

1. be outspoken

2. help needy person

3. stand by his friends and relatives

4. sacrifice his life for others

5. put up a simple dress

11. It was such a strange affair that I could not make
head or tail of it.

1. tolerate it

2. face it

3. remember it

4. believe it

5. understand it


12. He is temporarily in charge of the company and is trying
to feather his nest.

1. bring order and discipline in the company

2. raise the image of the company

3. act for his own future benefits

4. diversify the product of the company

5. practice his own brand of management philosophy

13. Those who make no bones about such
actions face a tough oppostion.

1. do without hesitation

2. make no plan

3. waste no time

4. invite no comments

5. None of these

14. Mrs B is known as a shoplifter in a
Mumbai commercial center.

1. smuggler

2. a thief in the guise of a customer

3. buyer of all new things

4. daily visitor

5. None of these

15. The people in north India are known for keeping
open house.

1. never locking it

2. not worrying about its security

3. offering hospitality to everyone

4. keeping it well ventilated

5. None of these

Directions (Q 16-20):
In each of the following questions an idiomatic expression and its four possible
meaning are given. Find out the correct meaning of the idiomatic expression and
mark the number of that meanings as your answer on the answer sheet. If you do
not find any correct answer, mark '5′, i.e. none of these as your
answer.

16. To make clean breast of

1. to gain prominence

2. to praise oneself

3. to confess without reserve

4. to destroy before it blooms

5. None of these

17. To end in smoke

1. to make completely understand

2. to ruin oneself

3. to excite great applause

4. to overcome some one

5. None of these

18. To leave someone in the lurch.

1. to come to compromise with someone

2. constant source of annoyance to someone

3. to put someone at ease

4. to desert someone in his difficulties

5. None of these

19. To cry wolf

1. to listen eagerly

2. to give false alarm

3. to turn pale

4. to keep off starvation

5. None of these

20. A man of straw

1. a man of no substance

2. a very active person

3. a worthy fellow

4. an unreasonable person

5. None of these

ANSWERS

1. (1) 2. (5) 3. (2) 4. (3) 5. (4)

6. (2) 7. (4) 8. (5) 9. (1) 10. (1)

11. (5) 12. (3) 13. (3) 14. (2) 15. (3)

16. (3) 17. (2) 18. (4) 19. (2) 20. (1)