Iidioms

Complete:

They said the test would be difficult, but it was...

• easy

• a catch-22

• a piece of cake

Answer explanation

When something is a piece of cake means that it can be easily achieved or obtained.

In Spanish:

- (es/fue) Pan comido

Complete:

Don't judge a book...

• is not gold.

• by its cover.

• out of mind

Answer explanation

You can't judge a book by its cover: Said to show that you cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at that person or thing's appearance.

In Spanish:

- Las apariencias engañan

- No juzgues a un libro por su portada.

Because she lives abroad, she gets to see her parents once in a blue moon.

What does the sentence mean?

• She sees her parents every day.

• She sees her parents very rarely.

• She still lives with her parents.

Answer explanation

Once in a blue moon means very rarely, almost never.

In Spanish it is possible to say:

- Cada muerte de obispo

- Cada mil años

When it's dark as it's ever been

And the shadows are creeping in

I will be there through thick and thin

What does through thick and thin mean?

• I will always be there for you

• I will sometimes be there for you

• I will never be there for you

Answer explanation

If you do something through thick and thin, you do it although the conditions or circumstances are very bad.

In Spanish we usually say:

- Contra viento y marea

Camila está hasta el cuello con las tareas.

La equivalencia en inglés de ''hasta el cuello'' es:

• Camila is up to her nose with homework.

• Camila is snowed under with homework.

• Camila is sick and tired of her homework.

Answer explanation

Estar hasta el cuello significa tener muchas tareas pendientes o estar profundamente inmerso en una situación.

In English:

be snowed under means that you have a lot of work or other things to deal with.

Complete:

Absence makes...

• no trousers.

• a rest.

• the heart grow fonder.

Answer explanation

Absence makes the heart grow fonder means that when people we love are not with us, we love them even more.

In Spanish:

- La ausencia aviva el cariño.

- La ausencia es al amor lo que el viento al aire, que apaga el pequeño y aviva el grande.

Complete:

Great minds...

• think alike.

• calls the tune.

• has its day.

Answer explanation

Great minds think alike.

Said to someone just after you have discovered that they have had the same idea as you.

In Spanish:

- Los genios pensamos igual.

- Comparten la misma neurona.

Si no se pone las pilas, va a reprobar la materia.

• If he doesn’t step up his game, he won’t pass the subject.

• If he doesn’t put on the batteries, he won’t pass the subject.

• If he doesn’t rest more, he won’t pass the subject.

Answer explanation

Ponerse las pilas.

Poner más energía y vigor en la realización de una cosa.

In English:

Step up (one's) game / up your game refers to improve in some way, usually that one can perform as well as others.

In the sentence:

He managed to escape the killer by the skin of his teeth.

What does ''by the skin of his teeth'' mean?

• He barely escaped from the killer.

• He escaped the killer with ease.

• He punched the killer in the mouth to escape.

Answer explanation

If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you just manage to do it.

In Spanish:

- Por los pelos.

- Por un pelo de rana calva.

Daniela found herself between a rock and a hard place when she was making her class schedule.

• Daniela was undecided on what to choose.

• Daniela had to choose between two bad options.

• Daniela had too many good choices.

Answer explanation

If you are caught between a rock and a hard place, you are in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.

In Spanish:

- Entre la espada y la pared.