Idioms Test 1

Quiz by Marc-Andre Dupont

Feel free to use or edit a copy

includes Teacher and Student dashboards

Measure skills
from any curriculum

Tag the questions with any skills you have. Your dashboard will track each student's mastery of each skill.

With a free account, teachers can

edit the questions
save a copy for later
start a class game
automatically assign follow-up activities based on students’ scores
assign as homework
share a link with colleagues
print as a bubble sheet

Q 1/15
Score 0
After going to the zoo, the mall, and the movies, Cassie was sick of bending over backwards to entertain her nieces. Which best express the meaning of "bending over backwards" as used in the sentence?
29
Cassie was not trying at all to entertain her nieces.
Cassie was doing very little to entertain her nieces.
Cassie was trying very hard to entertain her nieces.
Cassie was making small efforts to entertain her nieces.

Our brand new solo games combine with your quiz, on the same screen

Correct quiz answers unlock more play!

15 questions

Show answers

Q1
After going to the zoo, the mall, and the movies, Cassie was sick of bending over backwards to entertain her nieces. Which best express the meaning of "bending over backwards" as used in the sentence?
Cassie was not trying at all to entertain her nieces.
Cassie was doing very little to entertain her nieces.
Cassie was trying very hard to entertain her nieces.
Cassie was making small efforts to entertain her nieces.
60s
Q2
Bobby would have been playing ball until the cows came home if it hadn't been for Suzie dragging him home for dinner. Which best express the meaning of "until the cows come home" as used in the sentence?
Bobby was just about to stop playing ball.
Bobby would have continued playing ball for a long time.
Bobby didn't even want to play ball to begin with.
Bobby prefers nature to athletics.
60s
Q3
Mr. Johnson was very particular about the arrangement of his classroom, so the thing he hated most was when his students caused a ruckus with their wild horseplay. Which best express the meaning of "horseplay" as used in the sentence?
Mr. Johnson hated when his students made animal noises.
Mr. Johnson hated when his students wrestled around with each other.
Mr. Johnson hated when his students pretended to be animals.
Mr. Johnson hated when his students played sports.
60s
Q4
Eric wanted to fix his cousin's computer, but he was already having problems setting up his Aunt's Wi-Fi network and he didn't want to open a whole new can of worms. Which best expresses the meaning of "open a can of worms" as used in the sentence?
Eric was not ready to begin working on a complicated new problem.
Eric wanted to go fishing instead of working on computers.
Eric was sick of spending his time helping his family.
Eric was having difficulties untangling the computer wires.
60s
Q5
Even though Candace already had a new job, she submitted her two week notice and conducted herself in a professional way at her old job because she didn't want to burn bridges. Which best express the meaning of "burn bridges" as used in the sentence?
Candace was waiting until her last day to rub it in everyone's face that she was leaving.
Candace didn't want to ruin her positive relationship with her old employer.
Candace wasn't ready to start her new job.
Candace was really going to miss her old job.
60s
Q6
World renowned country western super group The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena at the drop of a hat. Which best express the meaning of "at the drop of a hat" as used in the sentence?
The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena very quickly.
The Mountain Boys are always willing to perform at charity events.
The Mountain Boys may be able to sell out an arena, but it will take a long time.
The Mountain Boys enforce a dress code at all of their shows.
60s
Q7
Vivian expected Craig to sob uncontrollably when she broke up with him; however, Craig kept a stiff upper lip. Which best express the meaning of "keeping a stiff upper lip" as used in the sentence?
Craig cried a little less than Vivian had expected.
Craig did not cry.
Craig cried about as much as Vivian had expected.
Craig cried even more than Vivian had expected.
60s
Q8
Mrs. Robinson expects Cassie and my presentation to be good, but we have been working on it every night for the last week, so we are really going to knock her socks off. Which best express the meaning of "knocking one's socks off" as used in the sentence?
Cassie and the speaker's presentation will far exceed Mrs. Robinson's expectations.
Cassie and the speaker intend on hitting Mrs. Robinson rather than presenting.
Cassie and the speaker are not prepared to give a good presentation.
Cassie and the speaker's presentation will meet Mrs. Robison's expectations.
60s
Q9
Over the summer Brian was really excited about being placed in the advanced math class, but after getting his syllabus on the first day and seeing the workload, he was ready to jump ship. Which best express the meaning of "jump ship" as used in the sentence?
Brian wanted to cause some trouble in the advanced math class.
Brian wanted to start working on his math assignments right away.
Brian was even more excited about the math class than he was over the summer.
Brian did not want to be in the advance math class anymore.
60s
Q10
Jose had a hard time comparing the iPhone to the Samsung phone because to him they were apples and oranges. Which best express the meaning of "apples and oranges" as used in the sentence?
Jose is too hungry to think about phones at this time.
Jose believes that the phones are so different from one another that they cannot be compared.
Jose doesn't know anything about phones so he may as well be thinking about fruits.
Jose can hardly tell the difference between the two phones because they are so similar.
60s
Q11
When Brian felt pretty good about getting a pair of roller-skates for his birthday, until he saw his twin brother Ryan open up his GameBox X-9000, and then Brian felt like he got the short end of the stick. Which best express the meaning of "short end of the stick" as used in the sentence?
Brian felt like Ryan received a better gift than he.
Brian wanted a long stick that he could use to support himself on hikes.
Brian feels bad for Ryan because Ryan wanted roller-skates.
Brian was quite pleased with his roller skates.
60s
Q12
After Ms. Smith caught Darnisha chewing gum for the third time, Ms. Smith scheduled a parent teacher conference with Darnisha's mother. When Darnisha's mother came into Ms. Smith's classroom to discuss her daughter's behavior, Darnisha's mother was chewing gum. Ms. Smith thought to herself, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Which best express the meaning of "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" as used in the sentence?
Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha acts a lot like her mother.
Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha's mother lives very close to the school.
Ms. Smith is surprised to see that Darnisha's mother came.
Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha dresses like her mother.
60s
Q13
Brad was accusing us of stealing his phone until he found it in his backpack, and now he's trying to sweep it under the rug. Which best express the meaning of "sweep it under the rug" as used in the sentence?
Brad is trying to locate a signal for his phone so that he can use it.
Brad thinks that his phone will be safer if he hides it under the rug.
Brad wants to pretend that the incident never happened.
Brad wants to do something to make up for his mistake.
60s
Q14
Keisha got up a started yelling at Ronnie and threatening him but Ronnie didn't even flinch because he knew that her bark was worse than her bite. Which best express the meaning of "bark is worse than her bite" as used in the sentence?
Ronnie thinks that Keisha will get in trouble for yelling.
Ronnie thinks that Keisha has bad breath.
Ronnie thinks that Keisha has a crush on him.
Ronnie thinks that Keisha is loud but not dangerous.
60s
Q15
You might think that Billy Parker is the kid who has everything, but if you saw the list of chores his parents give him, I guarantee that you wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Which best express the meaning of "be in his shoes" as used in the sentence?
Billy shoes are so uncomfortable that doing his chores is really unpleasant.
Billy has so many chores to do that it is unpleasant to imagine doing them all.
If you have to do as many chores as Billy, you'll want a pair of comfortable shoes.
You wouldn't want your shoes to get as dirty as Billy's when he's doing his chores.
60s