Idioms Quiz: Food 3

Many idioms are based on food and cooking. Test your knowledge of English idioms with the
questions below. To learn more about an individual idiom, click on the "more about this
idiom" link.

1. kill the goose that lays the golden egg C

If people find something that makes them a lot of money, they often kill the goose that laid
the golden egg because of
a. their kindness
b. their greed
c. their anger

2. put all your eggs in the one basket C

His father told him not to put all his eggs in the one basket, so Arjuna
a. studied law as well as graphic design
b. bought several more baskets
c. invested all his money in his father's company

put all your eggs in the one basket

3. take with a grain of salt | take with a pinch of salt B

When your grandma tells stories about the past, you should take what she says with a grain of
salt because
a. she tells really funny stories
b. she doesn't always speak very clearly
c. she doesn't always remember things accurately

4. talk turkey B

Before we could talk turkey about the deal, we had to

a. see the samples
b. pay the money
c. go to Turkey

more about this idiom: talk turkey

5. the cream of the crop B

Martin was always told by his parents and teachers that he was the cream of the crop, so he
thought he was
a. worse than other kids
b. the same as other kids
 c. better than other kids

more about this idiom: the cream of the crop

6. the icing on the cake | the frosting on the cake C

Winning a Nobel prize is the icing on the cake after

a. earning so much money
b. being ignored for so long
c. such a long and rewarding career

7. the upper crust A

Ralph wants people to think he's in the upper crust, so he

a. wears expensive clothes
b. uses public transport
c. drives an old Honda

more about this idiom: the upper crust

8. upset the applecart A

We'd planned to have our wedding in the local park, but the head of the council upset the
applecart when he
a. backed his car into some stalls at the market
b. refused to give us permission
c. congratulated us on our wedding

more about this idiom: upset the applecart

9. whet your appetite C

If I have one little chocolate it'll whet my appetite, and

a. that'll be enough
b. I'll eat chocolate all day
c. I'll never eat chocolate again

10. You are what you eat. A

My doctor said, "The most important thing to remember is that you are what you eat," and
then told me to eat more
a. bacon, hamburgers and hot dogs
b. fruits, vegetables and fish
c. chocolates, sweets and cookies
Idioms Quiz: Numbers 2
Many idioms are based on numbers. Test your knowledge of English idioms with the
questions below. To learn more about an individual idiom, click on the "more about this
idiom" link.

1. in two minds B

Bella's in two minds about keeping her job. She says she's tired of working as a waitress, but
she
a. would love to be a chef
b. likes being a waitress
c. isn't sure if she can get another job

more about this idiom: in two minds

2. kill two birds with one stone A

Sandra killed two birds with one stone by going to Paris. She practiced her French before her
exam and she
a. got better at speaking French
b. read a book on French history
c. went to her friend's wedding

3. once and for all C

I'm tired of having to get my teeth fixed all the time, so I've decided to solve the problem
once and for all by
a. cleaning them more
b. getting false teeth
c. not chewing my food

more about this idiom: once and for all

4. once in a blue moon A

We live in a town in the desert now. It's hot and dry most days, and once in a blue moon it
will
a. be sunny all day
b. rain quite a lot
c. be cooler at night

more about this idiom: once in a blue moon

5. one in a million C

Our friend Jose was one in a million. He was

a. very rich
 b. very special
c. very strange

6. par for the course C

If people say it's "par for the course" when a train arrives late, it means the train is
a. usually on time
b. always on time
c. often late

more about this idiom: par for the course

7. put all your eggs in the one basket A

His father told him not to put all his eggs in the one basket, so Arjuna
a. studied law as well as graphic design
b. bought several more baskets
c. invested all his money in his father's company

more about this idiom: put all your eggs in the one basket

8. the year dot | the year one B

People have been living in the Nile valley since the year dot. They've been there
a. for an extremely long time
b. since the tenth century
c. for quite a while

9. zero in on B

We don't have a lot of time to discuss the issue, so we'll have to zero in on
a. lots of unimportant details
b. everything that is connected in any way
c. the most important points

more about this idiom: zero in on

10. zero tolerance B

If a zero-tolerance policy on crime is adopted, people are sent to jail after

a. their first offence
b. their first chance
c. their first warning