VLC KHÓ

TEST 6
1.That man was so annoying, I hope I never meet him again.

- Such a pain in the neck was that man, I hope I never meet him again.

2.I cannot accept your dreadful lies any more.

- No longer can I stomach your dreadful lies.

3.I had just begun to look through the book when he took it away.

-Hardly had I begun to thumb through the book when he took it away.

4.You have to obey the rules in this company if you want to get on.

-You have to toe the line if you want to get on in this company.

5.It was hard not to laugh when he sneezed in the middle of the song.

- It was hard keeping a straight face when he sneezed in the middle of the
song.

6. Take care or he will deceive you.

-He will pull the wool over your eyes if you aren’t careful.

7.He ‘s usually a good boy, unless his brother encourages him to misbehave.

-If his brother doesn’t egg him on, he ‘s usually a good boy.

8. If her mother hadn’t held her back, she’d have moved away years ago.

-If it hadn’t been for her mother, she would have spread her wings years ago.

9. In his place, I wouldn’t care too much about my reputation.

-If I were him, I wouldn’t give two hoots about my reputation.

10. How could I tell him if I haven’t seen him for months?
- How could I tell him if I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him for months?

11. She sent her husband out to buy Bulgarian mushrooms, knowing he
wouldn’t find any.

- She sent her husband out on a wild goose chase for Bulgarian mushrooms.

12. I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood to discuss this matter right now.

- I’m afraid I’m not in the right frame of mind to discuss this matter right now.

13. Why are you trying to mend something that isn’t broken?

- Why are you monkeying around with something that isn’t broken?

14. Must you follow me everywhere I go?

- Must you dog my footsteps everywhere I go?

15. Now that your situation is the same as mine, I don’t suppose you thik it’s
funny.

- Now that we are both in the same boat, I don’t suppose you think it’s funny.

16. Once dad has made up his mind, he won’t change it.

- Dad won’t budge an inch once he has made up his mind.

17. Nigel is so conceited, it’s time someone showed him he ‘s not as important
as he thinks.

- It’s time someone cut Nigel down to size – he’s so conceited.

18. We must go back to the beginning and find the error.

- We must go back to square one to find the error.

19. There was so much misleading information in the novel, I didn’t guess who
the murderer was.
- There was so many red herrings in the novel, I didn’t guess who the murderer
was.

20. Tim failed to get into university and he gets very annoyed if it’s
mentioned.

- Timothy has got a chip on his shoulder about his failure to get into university.

TEST 7.
1.We wish to complain about your dog, Mr Taylor.

- We have a bone to pick with you about your dog, Mr Taylor.

2. I think the mayor is involved in everything that goes on in this town.

- I think the mayor has a finger in every pie in this town.

3. Henry’s got friends in both the Labour and Conservative party.

- Henry has got a foot in both camps when it comes to politics.

4. We must get started before all the guests arrive.

- Let’s get this show on the road before all the guests arrive.

5. His business became successful once he started to behave more responsibly.

-After cleaning up his act, he began to make a success of his business.

6. Unless you get organised, you will be never be ready by Saturday.

- If you don’t get your act together, you will never be ready by Saturday.

7.They’re a troublesome group but Mr Jones keeps control of them.

- Mr Jones has the upper hand with that troublesome group.

8. Bert’s life seemed to go wrong after his parents died.

- Bert’s life went off the rails after his parents died.
9. We must arrange every detail of the ceremony in advance.

- Every detail of the ceremony must be mapped out in advance.

10. A motorbike is good for getting through the traffic.

- You can weave in and out the traffic easily on a motorbike.

11. They choose John because he was the only one who spoke French.

-It was his knowledge of french that tipped the scales in John’s favour.

12. How dare you say my work isn’t good enough!

- How dare you sit in judgement on my work.

13.

14. We jogged all the way to the river but had to stop at the bridge.

- We ran out of steam after jogging as far as the bridge.

15. Whatever we plan to do, Jack will stop us.

- Jack always throws a spanner in the works whenever we plan to do

16. He wasn’t quite so confident after you told him you were an Olympic
boxer, was he?

- Telling him you were an Olympic boxer took the wind out of his sails, didn’t
it?

17. I can always rely on you to calm things down, Gina.

- I can always rely on you to pour oil on troubled waters, Gina.

18. We shouldn’t give up now after we ‘ve come so far.

- We shouldn’t throw in the towel now after we ‘ve come so far.

19. You’ll have to make a decision soon, you know.

20. When that virus got into my computer, I lost six months’ work.

- Six months’ work went up in smoke when that virus got into my computer.

TEST 8.
1.I went to enormous trouble to find a wedding photographer in time.

-I went through hell and high water to find a wedding photographer in time.

2.We got involved in so many details that the meeting lasted for hours.

-We got bogged down in so many details that the meeting lasted for hours.

3.The strong wind carried off the kids’ kite.

-The kids’ kite was borne off/ away/ by/ on the wind.

4. It’s time you got rid of some of your inhibitions.

-I wish you would cast off/ aside/ away some of your inhibitions.

5. I have been searching desperately for a new home help.

-I ‘ve been casting around for a new home help.

6.I’d be grateful if you’d keep this to yourself for the time being.

-I ‘d be grateful if you didn’t put this about for the time being.

7. Cole is a really terrible singer.

-By no stretch of the imagination is Cole a good singer.

8. I’ll explain everything to the new man when he arrives.

-I’ll put the new man in the picture when he arrives.

9. Harry knows about the new regulations so let’s ask him.

-Let’s pick Harry’s brains about the new regulations.

-I take a dim view of the way your sister talks to me, Emma.

11. Why did you have to cause so much trouble over something so
unimportant?

-Why did you have to make such a song and dance about something so
unimportant?

12. The boss wasn’t impressed by Bill’s budget proposals.

-Bill’s budget proposals cut no ice with the boss.

13. John and I have had an argument over the poor sales figure.

-I have had a brush with John over the poor sales figures.

14. Why don’t you try building a fountain in the garden?

-Why don’t you have a stab at building a fountain in the garden?

15.She married Tom although she loved Henry as well.

-She loved both Tom and Henry but when it came to the crunch she married
Tom.

16.You can’t persuade Roger too deviate from the rules, can you?

-Roger always goes by the book, doesn’t he?

17. Perhaps I’ll do what you did and learn Spanish.

-Perhaps I’ll take a leaf out of your book and learn Spanish.

18. You’ll get the maximum punishment when they find out what you’ve done.

-They’ll throw the book at you when they find out what you’ve done.

19. I tried to show Jim a faster way of working but he’s too set in his ways, isn’t
he?
-I tried to show Jim a faster way of working but you can’t teach an old dog new
tricks, can you?

20.She talks so much I was unable to join in the conversation.

-I couldn’t get a word in edgeways because she talked so much.

TEST 9.
1. The time has come to deal with your problems.

-The time has come to get to grips with your problems.

2. It took me ages to learn how to surf properly.

- It took me ages to get the knack of surfing properly.

3. James got furious when he found out about her lies.

-James got furious when he got wind of her lies.

4. I’m sure he will be back to full health soon.

- I’m sure he will get back on his feet soon.

5. She ‘s desperately trying to keep out of financial trouble and not go

-She’s desperately trying to keep her head above water and not go bankrupt.

6. There’s trouble ahead and we should be extremely careful.

-The storm clouds are gathering and we should be extremely careful.

7. Danny finally reason when they threatened to fire him.

-Danny was brought to his senses by their threat to fire him.

8. I completely emptied the drawersbut couldn’t find the address.

-I turned the drawers inside out but I couldn’t find the address.
9. It really put Betty in her place when the boss said she was the office junior.

The boss really brought Betty down a peg or two by saying she was the office
junior.

10. I think having to earn his own living was quite a shock to Billy.

-Billy was brought back down to earth by having to earn his own living.

11. I’m only here for a minute; I’m due at the hospital shortly.

-I’m only here on a flying visit; I’m due at the hospital shortly.

12. We are in a very difficult situation and will have to do what the lawyer says.

-We have our backs to the wall and will have to do what the lawyer says.

13.Why don’t you two forget your differences and become friends again?

-Why don’t you two bury the hatchet and become friends again?

14.On the understanding that you talk frankly, I’m willing to listen.

-On the understanding that you call a spade a spade, I’m willing to listen.

15. Now that he’s divorced, Sam is trying to get his life back to normal and
start afresh.

- Now that he’s divorced, Sam is trying to pick up the pieces and start afresh.

16.Ben is incredibly witty when he is in a good mood.

- Ben’s wit is razor sharp when he is in a good mood.

17. The rehearsal went off without any problems in the end.

-The rehearsal went off without a hitch in the end.

18. We will only be able to afford a holiday if we are very strict with our
expenses.
-Only if we keep a tight rein on our expenses will we be able to afford a
holiday.

19. The documentary made me realise how poor many people are in other
parts of the world.

-The documentary brought home to me how poor many people are in other
parts of the world.

20. Andrew rarely says how good he is at things, even though he’s very
talented.

-Seldom does Andrew blow his own trumpet, even though he’s very talented.

TEST 10.
1.By agreeing to help him out financially, you’ll only be causing problemsfor
yourself.

-You will only be digging your own grave by agreeing to help him out
financially.

2.The military parade was just the government showing its power before the
elections.

- The military parade was just the government flexing its muscles before the
elections.

3.Were he to speak in a clearer fashion, I could follow his argument.

-Were he to speak in a clearer fashion, I would not lose the thread of his
argument.

4. I didn’t think much of what Tom suggested.

-I didn’t set much store by Tom’s suggestion.

5. He shot the bottles from the top of the wall, one by one.

-He picked off the bottles from the top of the wall, one by one.
6. Carter was not popular at work because he never associated with anyone.

- Carter was not popular at work because he always kept himself aloof from
everyone.

7.He has tons of money since he won the lottery.

-He is filthy rich since he won the lottery.

8.Don still has very little experience so we should be patient.

-Don is still wet behind the ears so we should be patient.

9.The two brothers have been quarelling about the property for years.

- The two brothers have been at loggerheads over the property for years.

10.I’d prefer not to discuss our problems in front of our friends.

-I’d sooner we didn’t wash our dirty linen in front of our friends.

11.The boss is in a really bad mood today.

-The boss gets out of bed on the wrong side today.

12. He reserved positions and defeated him.

-He turned the tables on him and defeated him.

13. I was assured of success, then he withdrew his support.

- I was assured of success, then he pulled the rug out from under my feet.

14. It’s rather a dull plat, but I think a coat of paint will make it a lot brighter.

- It’s rather a dull plat, but I think a coat of paint will jazz it up nicely.

15. That Chinese porcelain vase is sellingfor a price far below its true value, if
you ask me.

-That Chinese porcelain vase is going for a song, if you ask me.
16. After fifty years of isolation, they’ve begun opening up to the west in the
hope of receiving financial assistance.

- After fifty years of isolation, they’ve begun making overtures to the west in
the hope of receiving financial assistance.

17. When he realized she war heir to a fortune, his whole attitude towards her
changed.

-He completely changed his tune when he realised she war heir to a fortune.

18. I felt like a new person after I ‘d had my hip operation.

-My hip operation gave me a new lease on life.

19. The guide book speaks highly of this hotel.

-The guide book gives the hotel its seal of approval.

20. He will be the one to accept responsibility for this affair.

- He will be the one to carry the can for this affair.