IDIOMS AND COLLOCATIONS ( 2020 -2021)

Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in
each of the following questions.
1. I was going to have a go at parachuting but lost my nerve at the last minute.
A. was determined to go ahead B. lost my temper
C. was discouraged from trying D. grew out of it
2. These days, many people only read printed newspapers once in a while as they tend to access information
online.
A. regularly B. attentively C. occasionally D. selectively
3. If you are at a loose end this weekend, I will show you round the city.
A. free B. confident C. occupied D. Reluctant
4. Scientists believe that it is possible for waves to reach the heights described when they come into contact
with strong ocean currents.
A. touch B. enter C. meet D. avoid
5. She was unhappy that she lost contact with a lot of her old friends when she went abroad to study.
A. made room for B. put in charge of C. lost control of D. got in touch with
6. It's not a pleasant feeling to discover you've been taken for a ride by a close friend.
A. driven away B. deceived deliberately C. given a lift D. created with sincerity
7. He said he was only joking, but his comments were so close to the bone.
A. annoying B. offensive C. personal D. respectful
8. The whole village was wiped out in the bombing raids.
A. changed completely B. destroyed completely C. removed quickly D. cleaned well
9. Steve was very happy in his job until he fell out with his boss. After that, it was difficult for them to work
together.
A. made up with B. made for C. made out D. made off
10. He's really out of shape, so he'd better start exercising. Otherwise, he won't be able to join us on the hiking
trip next month.
A. out of work B. unhealthy and stressed
C. physically fit D. always joyful
11. Joe's been walking with a spring in his step ever since he found out he was getting a promotion.
A. a happy and excited mood B. a joyful and energetic mood
C. a worried and depressed moon D. a bad and sorrow mood
12. John's decision to drop out of university to go to a vocational school drove his mother up the wall. She
thought that it is really a stupid decision.
A. made his mother pleased B. made his mother angry
C. made his mother worried D. made his mother ashamed
13. Though I persuaded my boss to solve a very serious problem in the new management system, he just made
light of it.
A. completely ignored B. treated as important
C. disagreed with D. discovered by chance
14. He fell foul of me when I asked him to apologize to his teacher.
A. quarrelled with me B. made friends with me
C. attacked me D. showed appreciation for me
15. Rather than assuming responsibility for explaining corporate losses, the CEO passed the buck to his CFO
to explain the downturn.
A. denied responsibilities
B. shifted the responsibility for something to someone else
 C. made someone responsible for a problem that you should deal with
D. shouldered the blame
16. The water workers' claim for a 10 percent pay rise has been under consideration by the Government.
A. neglected B. concentrated C. suspected D. be thought
17. Sorry, I can’t come to your party. I am snowed under with work at the moment.
A. busy with B. free from C. relaxed about D. interested in
18. There was a long period without rain in the countryside last year so the harvest was poor.
A. famine B. flood C. drought D. epidemic
19. Tom wa s too wet behind the ears to be in charge of such a difficult task.
A. full of experience B. lack of responsibility
C. without money D. full of sincerity
20. The writer was really hot under the collar when his novel was mistaken for another. A. angry
B. worried C. calm D. curious
21. As you can see, my father does a lot of gardening and those rose bushes are the apples of his eye. He's so
proud of them.
A. the things that he likes very much B. the apples that he prefers
C. the things that is very important to him D. the things that he dislikes
22. Jose had a hard time comparing the iPhone to the Samsung phone because to him they were apples and
oranges.
A. containing too many technical details B. very similar
C. completely different D. very complicated
23. The nominating committee always meet behind closed doors, lest its deliberations become known
prematurely.
A. dangerously B. safely C. privately D. publicly
24. His performance stood head and shoulders above the rest.
A. was better than B. was worse than C. became higher than D. became cheaper than
25. When U23 Vietnam went to the final versus U23 Uzbekistan, all the nation was walking on air.
A. extremely happy B. very disappointed C. very perplexed D. extremely light
26. She was like a cat on hot bricks before her driving test.
A. nervous B. comfortable C. depressed D. relaxing
27. I'm not an impulsive person, I don't generally do things on the spur of the moment.
A. quickly B. industriously C. intentionally D. attentively
28. Tom may get into hot water when driving at full speed after drinking wine.
A. get into trouble B. stay safe C. fall into disuse D. keep calm
29. Don’t get angry with such a thing. It’s only a storm in a teacup.
A. serious problem B. trivial thing
C. commercial tension D. financial issue
30. Though I persuaded my boss to solve a very serious problem in the new management system, he just made
light of it.
A. completely ignored B. treated as important C. disagreed with D. discovered by chance
Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each
of the following questions.
31. To keep up with new developments and technology, modern people need to implement lifelong learning all
the time.
A. come up with B. get on with C. face up with D. catch up with
32. All the students were all ears when the teacher started talking about the changes in the next exam.
A. attentive B. restless C. silent D. smiling
33. The doctor is busy right now, but he could probably fit you in later.
A. look after you B. examine your health problem
C. find time to see you D. try to cure your illness
34. It was obvious that the deal was no longer tenable, so we kicked it into touch.
A. measure it B. mention it C. forgot it D. approved it
35. If the rain doesn't let up soon, we shall have to look for a taxi.
A. brighten B. stop C. clear D. darken
36. I’m sorry I can’t go to the movies with you this weekend - I’m up to my ears in work.
A. very busy B. very bored C. very scared D. very idle
37. With so many daily design resources, how do you stay up-to-date with technology without spending too
much time on it?
A. connect to Internet all day B. update new status
C. get latest information D. use social network daily
38. While playing hide and seek, the children came across some old photos in the attic.
A. discovered by accident B. found on purpose
C.took by mistake D.looked for a reason
39. Polish artist Pawel Kuzinsky creates satirical paintings filled with thought-provoking messages about the
world.
A. inspirational B. provocative C. stimulating D. universal
40. If you are at a loose end this weekend, I will show you round the city.
A. free B. confident C. occupied D. Reluctant
41. What makes the problem worse is that Howard and Tina are not on the same wave length about how to
deal with it.
A. behave in the same way B. share their opinions
C. want the same wave D. have their length in common
42. He sank into deep despair when he lost his job.
A. became very enjoyable B. became very unhappy
C. was delighted D. burst into tears
43. The atmosphere at work was so bad that Brian eventually decided to hand in his notice.
A. notify the boss B. apply for another job
C. give up his job D. be given a better job
44. The new system for assessing claims is expected to come into operation early next month.
A. finish working B. start working C. continue working D. postpone working
45. If the examiner can't make sense of what your essay is about, you'll get the low mark.
A. declare B. estimate C. communicate D. understand
46. We'll have to use the restrooms on the third floor because the ones on this floor are not in working
condition.
A. out of order B. out of work C. run out of D. torn down
47. The new cartoon film catches the fancy of the children.
A. satisfies B. amuses C. attracts D. surprises
48. We’re really close friends but we just can not see eye to eye on politics.
A. not see well B. not share the same views about
C. nut understand D. not care for
49. It was late at night, the wind was howling and when she heard the knock on the door, she almost jumped
out of her skin.
A. was surprised B. was asleep C. was terrified D. was delighted
50. We have lived there for years and grown fond of the surroundings. That is why we don’t want to leave.
A. loved the surroundings B. possessed by the surroundings
C. haunted by the surroundings D. planted many trees in the surroundings
51. I just want to stay at home and watch TV and take it easy.
A. relax B. sit down C. sleep D. eat
52. The new cartoon film catches the fancy of the children.
A. satisfies B. amuses C. attracts D. surprises
53. “Edwards seems like a dog with two tails this morning.” – “Haven’t you hear the news? His wife gave
birth a baby boy early this morning.”
A. extremely happy B. extremely unhappy C. exhausted D. proud
54. The protesters were angry with the council’s plan to do away with a lovely old building and put a car park
there instead.
A. destroy B. replace C. remain D. keep
55. The student was asked to account for her absence from her last lesson.
A. arrange B. complain C. exchange D. explain