CELPIP Vocabulary: Idiomatic Expressions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Your coworker says the new software rollout went off without a hitch. What does this mean?
- It happened without any problems (Correct answer)
- It was delayed repeatedly
- It caused major errors
- It was cancelled
Correct answer: It happened without any problems
"Off without a hitch" means something proceeded smoothly with no problems.
Question 2: If a colleague tells you to take the deadline with a grain of salt, what should you do?
- Treat it as flexible and not entirely certain (Correct answer)
- Follow it exactly
- Ignore your manager
- Add more tasks to it
Correct answer: Treat it as flexible and not entirely certain
"Take it with a grain of salt" means to view information with healthy skepticism.
Question 3: Your friend says learning French has been an uphill battle. What does this suggest?
- It has been difficult and required great effort (Correct answer)
- It was surprisingly easy
- She quit immediately
- She found it boring
Correct answer: It has been difficult and required great effort
An "uphill battle" describes a struggle that demands sustained effort.
Question 4: When someone says you hit the nail on the head, they mean you:
- Described the situation exactly right (Correct answer)
- Made a careless mistake
- Caused an injury
- Changed the subject
Correct answer: Described the situation exactly right
"Hit the nail on the head" means to be precisely correct.
Question 5: A manager says the project is now on the back burner. This means it is:
- Given lower priority for now (Correct answer)
- Almost finished
- Causing a fire risk
- The top priority
Correct answer: Given lower priority for now
"On the back burner" means something is set aside as a lower priority.
Question 6: If you say a coworker is on the ball, you mean they are:
- Alert and competent (Correct answer)
- Lazy and slow
- Playing sports
- Often absent
Correct answer: Alert and competent
"On the ball" describes someone who is quick, attentive, and efficient.
Question 7: Your neighbour says winter prices are through the roof. This means prices are:
- Extremely high (Correct answer)
- Falling fast
- Reasonable
- Fixed by law
Correct answer: Extremely high
"Through the roof" means something has risen to a very high level.
CELPIP Vocabulary: Idiomatic Expressions 2
Your coworker says the new software rollout went off without a hitch.
What does this mean?