Directions (1-10): In each of the question given below a/an idiom/phrase is given in bold which is then followed by five options which then try to decipher its meaning. Choose the option which gives the correct meaning of the phrases.
Q1. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
(a) Too many people working on something can make it worse.
(b) Too many people working on something can make it better.
(c) It is better to have one person in charge of something.
(d) It is better to have a group of people working on something together.
(e) It is better to have a team of experts working on something.
Q2. Easier said than done.
(a) It is often difficult to do something that is easy to say.
(b) It is often difficult to do something that is difficult to say.
(c) It is often difficult to do something that is impossible to say.
(d) It is often difficult to do something that is not worth saying.
(e) It is often difficult to do something that is not worth doing.
Q3. A penny saved is a penny earned.
(a) It is important to invest money, even if it is just a small amount.
(b) It is important to spend money, even if it is just a small amount.
(c) It is important to save money, even if it is just a small amount.
(d) It is important to donate money, even if it is just a small amount.
(e) It is important to give money, even if it is just a small amount.
Q4. A leopard can’t change its spots.
(a) People can’t change who they are.
(b) People can change their habits and behavior.
(c) People can change their appearance.
(d) People can change their beliefs and values.
(e) People can change their goals and aspirations.
Q5. Strike while the iron is hot.
(a) It is important to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.
(b) It is important to be patient and wait for the right moment.
(c) It is important to be persistent and never give up on your dreams.
(d) It is important to be flexible and adaptable to change.
(e) It is important to be forgiving and forget about past mistakes.
Q6. Once bitten, twice shy.
(a) Once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be careful in the future.
(b) Once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be angry in the future.
(c) Once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be vengeful in the future.
(d) Once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be bitter in the future.
(e) Once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be cynical in the future.
Q7. Birds of a feather flock together.
(a) People who are different from each other tend to be enemies.
(b) People who are different from each other tend to be friends.
(c) People who are similar to each other tend to be enemies.
(d) People who are similar to each other tend to be friends.
(e) People who are similar to each other tend to be competitive.
Q8. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
(a) When you are apart from someone you don’t like, you start to miss them.
(b) When you are apart from someone you love, you appreciate them more.
(c) When you are apart from someone for a long time, you forget about them.
(d) When you are apart from someone, you start to see their flaws.
(e) When you are apart from someone, you start to take them for granted.
Q9. The grass is always greener on the other side.
(a) It is important to be content with what you have.
(b) It is important to always be looking for new opportunities.
(c) It is important to never be satisfied with your current situation.
(d) It is important to always be comparing yourself to others.
(e) It is important to always be striving for improvement.
Q10. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
(a) It is important to never be afraid to fail.
(b) It is important to be patient.
(c) It is important to never give up.
(d) It is important to always be working towards your goals.
(e) It takes time to achieve success.
Solutions
S1. Ans. (a)
Sol. The idiom “too many cooks spoil the broth” means that when too many people are involved in a project, it can lead to confusion and conflict, which can ultimately make the project worse. This is because different people may have different ideas about how the project should be done, and it can be difficult to come to a consensus. Additionally, when there are too many cooks in the kitchen, it can be difficult to keep track of what everyone is doing, which can lead to mistakes.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (b) is the opposite of the meaning of the idiom.
Option (c) is not always true, as it can be beneficial to have multiple people working on a project, as long as they are all working together towards the same goal.
Option (d) is not always true, as it can be difficult for a group of people to work together effectively without a leader.
Option (e) is not always true, as a team of experts may not always be able to agree on how to do something.
S2. Ans. (a)
Sol. The idiom “easier said than done” means that it is often difficult to do something that is easy to say. This is because there is a difference between saying something and doing something. Saying something is easy, as it only requires words. Doing something requires action, which can be more difficult.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (b) is the opposite of the meaning of the idiom.
Option (c) is not always true, as there are some things that are impossible to say.
Option (d) is not always true, as there are some things that are worth saying, even if they are difficult to do.
Option (e) is not always true, as there are some things that are worth doing, even if they are difficult.
S3. Ans. (c)
Sol. The idiom “A penny saved is a penny earned” means that it is important to save money, even if it is just a small amount. This is because saving money can help you to reach your financial goals, such as buying a house or saving for retirement.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (a) is not always true, as investing money can be risky.
Option (b) is the opposite of the meaning of the idiom.
Option (d) is not always true, as donating money can be a good thing, but it is not the same as saving money.
Option (e) is not always true, as giving money can be a good thing, but it is not the same as saving money.
S4. Ans. (b)
Sol. The idiom “A leopard can’t change its spots” means that people cannot change their basic personality, habits, or tendencies. This is because people are creatures of habit, and it is difficult to change ingrained patterns of behavior. However, it is possible for people to change their habits and behavior with time, effort, and support.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (a) is too broad, as people can change many aspects of themselves, including their personality, habits, and behavior.
Option (c) is not always true, as people can change their appearance through cosmetic surgery, weight loss, or other means.
Option (d) is not always true, as people can change their beliefs and values through education, experience, or other means.
Option (e) is not always true, as people can change their goals and aspirations through hard work, determination, and perseverance.
S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. The idiom “strike while the iron is hot” means that it is important to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. This is because opportunities can come and go quickly, and if you wait too long, you may miss out on them.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (b) is the opposite of the meaning of the idiom.
Option (c) is not always true, as it is important to know when to give up on a dream.
Option (d) is not always true, as it is important to be flexible and adaptable to change, but it is also important to stand up for what you believe in.
Option (e) is not always true, as it is important to forgive and forget about past mistakes, but it is also important to learn from them.
S6. Ans. (a)
Sol. The correct answer is (a), once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be careful in the future. The idiom “Once bitten, twice shy” means that someone who has been hurt or had a bad experience in the past is more likely to be cautious or wary in the future. This is because they do not want to experience the same pain or disappointment again.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (b) is incorrect because it says that once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be angry in the future. The idiom does not say anything about anger.
Option (c) is incorrect because it says that once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be vengeful in the future. The idiom does not say anything about revenge.
Option (d) is incorrect because it says that once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be bitter in the future. The idiom does not say anything about bitterness.
Option (e) is incorrect because it says that once you have been hurt, you are more likely to be cynical in the future. The idiom does not say anything about cynicism.
S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. The idiom “birds of a feather flock together” means that people who are similar to each other tend to be friends. This is because people are more likely to be attracted to and enjoy the company of people who share their interests, values, and beliefs.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (a) is incorrect because people who are different from each other don’t necessarily have to be enemies.
Option (b) is incorrect because people who are different from each other can still be friends.
Option (c) is incorrect because people who are similar to each other don’t necessarily have to be enemies.
Option (e) is incorrect because people who are similar to each other don’t necessarily have to be competitive.
S8. Ans. (b)
Sol. The idiom “absence makes the heart grow fonder” means that when you are apart from someone you love, you appreciate them more. This is because when you are not constantly in their presence, you start to miss them and remember all the things you love about them.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (a) is incorrect because when you are apart from someone you don’t like, you are likely to be relieved that you are not around them.
Option (c) is incorrect because when you are apart from someone for a long time, you are more likely to remember the good times you had together than the bad times.
Option (d) is incorrect because when you are apart from someone, you are more likely to focus on their positive qualities than their flaws.
Option (e) is incorrect because when you are apart from someone, you are more likely to miss them and want to be with them.
S9. Ans. (a)
Sol. The idiom “the grass is always greener on the other side” means that people tend to think that other people have it better than they do. This is often because people focus on the positive aspects of other people’s lives and the negative aspects of their own lives.
The other options are incorrect.
Option (b) is incorrect because it is not always possible to find new opportunities. Sometimes, people are stuck in a rut and it is difficult to see a way out.
Option (c) is incorrect because it is important to be satisfied with your current situation sometimes. If you are always striving for something better, you will never be happy.
Option (d) is incorrect because comparing yourself to others can lead to unhappiness. Everyone is different and has different strengths and weaknesses. It is important to focus on your own journey and not compare yourself to others.
Option (e) is incorrect because striving for improvement is not the same as never being satisfied. It is important to set goals for yourself and work towards achieving them.
S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. The idiom “Rome wasn’t built in a day” means that it takes time to achieve success. This is because success requires hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
For example, if you want to build a successful business, it is not going to happen overnight. You will need to put in a lot of hard work and dedication. You will also need to be patient and persistent.
Option (a) It is important to not be afraid to fail, but this does not mean that you should not try to avoid failure. Failure is a part of life, but it is important to learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward.
Option (b) It is important to be patient, but it is not the only thing that is important. You also need to be hardworking and persistent.
Option (c) It is important to never give up, but this does not mean that you should not be afraid to fail. Failure is a part of the learning process.
Option (d) It is important to always be working towards your goals, but this does not mean that you should not take breaks or relax. It is important to find a balance between working hard and taking care of yourself.
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