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ENGLISCH/707: Brainteasers (166) Proverbs and idioms (SB)


B R A I N T E A S E R S


Quizzes and puzzles for learners of English

166 Proverbs and idioms



With Christmas coming soon but still a little while to go I choose a few idioms which may remind you of New Year's resolutions, promises and other things that have marginally something to do with the festive season...

Choose one of the following expressions to complete the sentences or just answer the questions:

1. According to the proverb, "There's no smoke without _______".

a. matches
b. cigarettes
c. burning the dinner
d. (a) fire

2. If you memorise something, for example a Christmas poem or a speech so you know it without reading it, you learn it by ________.

a. memory
b. heart
c. eye
d. ear

3. If you tell the truth after initially lying, you ________.

a. come clean
b. go clean
c. come dirty
d. go dirty

4. "People who live in glass houses ________".

a. shouldn't walk around naked.
b. should always buy curtains.
c. shouldn't throw stones.
d. clean their windows regularly.

5. "He's turned over a new leaf" What has he done?

a. He's made a new start, promised to be better.
b. He's taken an interest in gardening.
c. He's started a new job.
d. He's been collecting bugs and insects.

6. If you've been "burning the candle at both ends", you have _________.

a. been having lots of dinner parties.
b. been working hard and going to bed late.
c. been going to church a lot.
d. been experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.


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___Congratulations, you got the right answers of Brainteasers 165 - More jeepers creepers___

And here they are:

1. Some people believe in horoscopes but it's all just _____ to me.

Xa. Mumbo-jumbo is the right answer and means superstition (Aberglaube, Hokuspokus, fauler Zauber).

b. Razzle-dazzle means lots of style (Viel Gewese und Aufwand, go on the razzle(-dazzle) heißt ugs. auch: auf den Putz hauen).

c. Topsy-turvy means everything is mixed up (ein heilloses Durcheinander).

d. Willy-nilly means leaving things unorganised (wohl oder übel ...).

2. That's enough discussion of general ideas - let's get down to the ____.

a. Hoity-toity means you think you are better than other people (hochnäsig, eingebildet).

b. Hubble-bubble is the sound of bubbling liquid, or confused noises (Geblubber).

c. Pell-mell means to go very fast and without direction (durcheinander).

Xd. Nitty-gritty is the right answer and means precise details (Get down to the nitty gritty heißt: zur Sache kommen).

3. All this talk about ghosts and spirits really gives me the _____.

a. Wingdings are a kind of font on a computer, or a big party (Computerschrift oder tolles Ding, tolle Fete, (Wut)anfall).

Xb. Heebie-jeebies is the right answer and means nervousness (that gives me the heebie-jeebies heißt: dabei wird mir ganz anders, davon kriege ich Zustände).

c. Helter-skelter means to run about without direction (holterdiepolter, Hals über Kopf, hastig, bzw. wildes Durcheinander oder wilde Hast).

d. Herky-jerky doesn't exist.

4. There's no planning in this city. It's all just so ______________.

a. Wishy-washy means not very strict or strong (labberig, lasch, verschwommen).

b. Itty-bitty means something very small. (Itty-bitty oder itsy-bitsy wie auch teeny-weeny heißt klitzeklein, wie der berühmte "Honolulu Strandbikini").

Xc. Higgledy-piggledy is the right answer and means disorganised (drunter und drüber, wie Kraut und Rüben, kunterbunt, durcheinander).

d. Hubble-bubble is the sound of bubbling liquid, or confused noises (Geblubber).

5. They've been married for years and they're still so _________ it's great!

Xa. Lovey-dovey is the right answer and means romantic (Von love-dove (Turteltaube) abgeleitetes Adjektiv)

b. Ipsy-dipsy doesn't exist

c. Kissy-wissy doesn't exist

d. Itty-bitty means something very small (s.o.)

6. He's such an old _______________ and he's only 25.

a. Hob-nob can mean a quiet conversation (intim, auf Du und Du sein, freundschaftlich verkehren oder auch einfach nur: plaudern).

b. Pee-wee is a kind of bird (Vogelart).

c. Tit-bit is a small piece of food, or gossip (Leckerbissen).

Xd. Fuddy-duddy is the right answer and means dull and conservative (Verkalkter Trottel).


6. Dezember 2006