Idioms Challenge Again!
- Owen Nash
- Jan 18
- 3 min read
1. Out of the blue
Question: What does "out of the blue" mean?
Answers:
a) Suddenly and unexpectedly.
b) Coming from the sky.
c) Turning something blue.
d) Feeling sad.
Correct Answer: a) Suddenly and unexpectedly.
Meaning:
English: Something that happens suddenly and without warning.
Traditional Chinese: 突然且意料之外地發生。
Simplified Chinese: 突然且意料之外地发生。
Examples:
She showed up at the party out of the blue after years of no contact.
The news of his promotion came out of the blue.
2. Shoot for the moon
Question: What does "shoot for the moon" mean?
Answers:
a) Aim for something very ambitious.
b) Shoot at the moon.
c) Avoid failure.
d) Follow the stars.
Correct Answer: a) Aim for something very ambitious.
Meaning:
English: To set very high goals or ambitions.
Traditional Chinese: 立下非常高的目標。
Simplified Chinese: 立下非常高的目标。
Examples:
Don’t be afraid to shoot for the moon; you might achieve something incredible.
He shot for the moon by applying to the best university in the country.
3. Spill the beans
Question: What does "spill the beans" mean?
Answers:
a) Reveal a secret.
b) Spill actual beans.
c) Cook beans.
d) Create a mess.
Correct Answer: a) Reveal a secret.
Meaning:
English: To disclose secret or confidential information.
Traditional Chinese: 洩露秘密。
Simplified Chinese: 泄露秘密。
Examples:
Don’t spill the beans about the surprise party!
He accidentally spilled the beans about their engagement.
4. All ears
Question: What does "all ears" mean?
Answers:
a) Listening carefully.
b) Hearing noises everywhere.
c) Ignoring someone.
d) Being very shy.
Correct Answer: a) Listening carefully.
Meaning:
English: To be fully attentive and ready to listen.
Traditional Chinese: 全神貫注地聆聽。
Simplified Chinese: 全神贯注地聆听。
Examples:
Tell me about your trip; I’m all ears!
The students were all ears as the teacher explained the experiment.
5. Bite the bullet
Question: What does "bite the bullet" mean?
Answers:
a) To face a difficult situation bravely.
b) To chew on a bullet.
c) To avoid danger.
d) To ignore pain.
Correct Answer: a) To face a difficult situation bravely.
Meaning:
English: To endure a painful or challenging situation with courage.
Traditional Chinese: 勇敢面對困難或痛苦的情況。
Simplified Chinese: 勇敢面对困难或痛苦的情况。
Examples:
She decided to bite the bullet and finish the difficult project.
After weeks of postponing, he finally bit the bullet and went to the dentist.
6. All thumbs
Question: What does "all thumbs" mean?
Answers:
a) Clumsy or awkward.
b) Very skillful.
c) Using only thumbs.
d) Being creative.
Correct Answer: a) Clumsy or awkward.
Meaning:
English: Lacking physical coordination or skill.
Traditional Chinese: 笨手笨腳。
Simplified Chinese: 笨手笨脚。
Examples:
He’s all thumbs when it comes to fixing things around the house.
I was all thumbs trying to wrap the gift quickly.
7. Play by ear
Question: What does "play by ear" mean?
Answers:
a) To improvise.
b) To play music loudly.
c) To listen carefully.
d) To avoid planning.
Correct Answer: a) To improvise.
Meaning:
English: To handle a situation spontaneously rather than planning in advance.
Traditional Chinese: 隨機應變。
Simplified Chinese: 随机应变。
Examples:
We didn’t have a fixed plan for the trip, so we decided to play it by ear.
Instead of following a strict schedule, let’s play by ear and see what happens.
8. Raining cats and dogs
Question: What does "raining cats and dogs" mean?
Answers:
a) Raining heavily.
b) A storm with animals.
c) A light drizzle.
d) Sudden weather changes.
Correct Answer: a) Raining heavily.
Meaning:
English: To rain very heavily.
Traditional Chinese: 傾盆大雨。
Simplified Chinese: 倾盆大雨。
Examples:
It’s raining cats and dogs; don’t forget your umbrella!
We got soaked because it started raining cats and dogs unexpectedly.
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