Upstream C1 Something to Shout About

Easy bargain decorating is within reach with a little creative thinking and ________

• hard bargain

• full house

• elbow grease

• handyman

• rags to riches

He left school at 15 and pulled himself up by his ______ to ultimately head up a company.

• legwork

• elbow grease

• bootstraps

• fingers to the bone

You simply cannot make a living without doing the ______ yourself.

• achievement

• legwork

• deeds

• grease

• adversity

She worked her fingers to the _____ to provide a home and food for seven children.

• flesh

• bone

• blood

• tissue

Jessica's story really is one of going from rags to _____. She grew up with nothing, now she is a movie star.

• stardom

• pavements

• blood

• riches

• elbow grease

So he has a track record of overcoming _______.

• mediocrity

• adversity

• favor

• contentment

She knew that it would take blood, ______, and tears to reach the next stage of the tournament

• money

• bone

• muscle

• sweat

If you want to get that floor clean, you'll have to put your _____ into it.

(to use a lot of physical effort to try to do something)

• luck

• soul

• back

• head

• brain

Match the idiom with its definition

• Work one's fingers to the bone

• to work extremely hard

• Do the legwork

• to do the necessary research or preparation for something

• Reach one's full potential

• to use a lot of physical effort to get something done

• From rags to riches

• to go from being very poor to being very wealthy

• Use elbow grease

• to achieve the highest level of success or ability

• After losing his job, he decided to pull himself up by the ​ (a)   and start his own business.

• She went from rags to ​ (b)   by working hard and saving her money.

• I had to work my fingers to the ​ (c)   to finish that project on time.

• Before starting the business, we did the​ (d)   to make sure it was a good idea.

• bootstraps
• riches
• bone
• legwork