Understanding Common Expressions

Sarah always helps others, even when she doesn’t have to. People often say, "She has a heart of gold." What does this expression mean?

• She collects gold items.

• She is incredibly kind and generous.

• She is rich.

• She is very stubborn.

As he watched his childhood pass by so quickly, Mark thought to himself, "Time is a thief." What does this mean?

• Time can be stolen.

• Time moves very quickly.

• Time takes away precious moments of life.

• Time can be controlled.

During the awkward first meeting, Megan told a funny joke to "break the ice." What does this mean?

• Talking about winter activities.

• Starting a conversation to ease tension.

• Ending a friendship.

• Literally breaking ice.

After forgetting his homework for the third time, the teacher warned Alex that "he’s skating on thin ice." What does this mean?

• He is literally skating on ice.

• He is in a risky or dangerous situation.

• He is a skilled ice skater.

• He is avoiding conflict.

When they got to the car after leaving the restaurant, it was "raining cats and dogs," and they were soaked in seconds. What does this mean?

• Pets are falling from the sky.

• There’s a storm with heavy rain.

• Cats and dogs are fighting.

• The weather is calm.

After staying up all night studying, Emily said, "I’m feeling under the weather today." What does this mean?

• Bad weather.

• Sickness or discomfort.

• Tiredness from the sun.

• A sudden mood swing.

After accidentally dropping her drink, Lucy sighed and said, "There’s no use crying over spilled milk." What lesson does this teach?

• Be careful with your drinks.

• Clean up your messes.

• Don’t dwell on things you can’t change.

• Always keep milk in the fridge.

When the teacher asked him to solve the math problem, Joe smiled and said, "This is a piece of cake." What does this mean?

• It involves dessert.

• It is very easy to accomplish.

• It is complicated and time-consuming.

• It is impossible to complete.

As she graduated and looked ahead to endless opportunities, her mom said, "The world is your oyster." What does this mean?

• The world is full of oysters.

• You can achieve anything you want.

• You need to eat more seafood.

• Life is full of surprises.

After weeks of keeping the surprise party a secret, Jack accidentally "spilled the beans." What does this mean?

• Clean up a mess.

• Accidentally reveal a secret.

• Forget an important detail.

• Lose an argument.