VC: T39

Do not mention work to Ray, as it's a sore ... with him now

• point

• thumb

• place

• finger

Answer explanation

A SORE POINT: a subject -> so prefers not to talk abt bc it makes them angry/ embarrassed

Distress calls were pouring in, thick and .., from all over the area

• quick

• fast

• thin

• skin

Answer explanation

THICK AND FAST: quickly & in large numbers

She wouldn't have heard anything. She is ...

• rock-deaf

• post-deaf

• stone-deaf

• bat-deaf

Answer explanation

STONE DEAF: completely unable to hear anything

During winter the shelters are full of people of no fixed ...

• abode

• home

• residence

• domicile

Answer explanation

BE OF NO FIXED ABODE: have no permanent home

DOMICILE: the place where a person lives [law/specialized]

I thought I had made it ... that I didn't wish to discuss this matter

The kids are ... in the steam-filled room, and the girl seems grateful for adult conversation

• floating out

• ploughing ahead

• impinging on

• larking about/around

Answer explanation

LARK ABOUT: behave in a silly way bc you think it's funny

IMPINGE ON/UPON so/st: affect st, often causing problems by limiting it in some way

PLOUGH st BACK IN: spend the $ -> a business's earned on improving -> business

I slept badly last night and I am feeling particularly ... this morning

• off-hand

• far-reaching

• top-heavy

• slow-witted

Answer explanation

SLOW-WITTED: not clever -> slow to notice/understand things

TOP-HEAVY: having more weight in the higher part > in the lower part & so tending to fall easily

Some people can just ... a cold, but my colds seem to linger for weeks

• stamp out

• pull through

• cough up

• shrug off

Answer explanation

SHRUG OFF: dispose of st unpleasant -> u don't want

STAMP OUT: get rid of st -> wrong or harmful

It's a good idea to ... people before taking them into your confidence

• size up

• bank on

• root out

• tumble to

Answer explanation

SIZE UP: examine st/so carefully & decide what u think abt them

BANK ON so/st: to expect st or depend on st happening

Here I sit .. - no food, money, or clothign

• thick and thin

• huff and puff

• wear and tear

• high and dry

Answer explanation

HIGH AND DRY: in a difficult situation, without help or $

HUFF AND PUFF: breathe loudly, usually after physical exercise / complain loudly and express disapproval

WEAR AND TEAR: damage -> happens to an object in ordinary use during a period