EXERCISES WITH COLLOCATIONS AND IDIOMS 1

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of
the following questions.
1. It was such a sad film that we all were reduced _________ tears at the end.
A. with B. onto C. to D. into
- reduce to tears: làm cho ai đó khóc
2. I assure you that I _________ no hostile feeling toward you.
A. shelter B. harbor C. embrace D. cover
3. The opposition will be elected into government at the next election, without a _________ of
a doubt.
A. shade B. shadow C. benefit D. hue
- without a shadow of doubt: không chút nghi ngờ gì
4. The deer_______ for the shelter of the forest when there are people about.
A. get B. make C. go D. take
5. It seems that the world record for this event is almost impossible to _________.
A. get B. beat C. take D. achieve
6. _________ her fiction describes women in unhappy marriages.
A. Many of B. A large number of C. A great volume of D. Much of
- many of + Ns: phần lớn
- much of + N( k đếm được ): phần lớn
7. It________ to reason that he passed the exam with flying colors on account of his working
hard during the term.
A. comes B. gets C. stands D. lays
- stand to reason: rõ ràng rằng
8. You can ask Matin anything about history. He actually has quite a good ________ for facts.
A. head B. understanding C. knowledge D. ability
9. Oh! What's the word? I know it on the tip of my________.
A. mouth B. mind C. tongue D. head
10. I don't like to ask people for help but I wonder if you could ________ me a favour?
A. make B. do C. find D. pick
11. This cloth________ very thin.
A. feels B. touches C. holds D. handles
12. The baby can't even sit up yet, ________ stand and walk!
A. but for B. let alone C. all but D. rather than
13. _________every major judo title, Mark retired from international competition.

IDIOMS-COLLOCATIONS Trang 1/
 A. When he won B. Having won C. Winning D. On winning
14. I used to __________ reading comics, but now I've grown out of it.
A. take a fancy to B. keep an eye on C. get a kick out of D. kick up a fuss about
15. My friend is good at mimicking people. He __________a great impression of Charlie
Chaplin.
A. made B. did C. took D. gave
16. Unfortunately, the injury may keep him out of football __________. He may never play
again.
A. for good B. now and then C. once in a while D. every so often
17. Will you be taking my precious experience into _______ when you fix my salary?
A. possession B. account C. mind D. scale
18. We've been together through _______ in our friendship, and we won't desert each other now.
A. bad and good B. thick and thin C. odds and ends D. spick and span
19. She was very badly depressed after the car accident. Now she is beginning to think that there
could be light at the end of the _______.
A. tunnel B. subway C. passage D. journey
20. China is one of the most _______populated areas in the world.
A. wastefully B. perfectly C. densely D. completely
- densely: đông đúc
21. His wife died last year and he still can't _______ to terms with her death.
A. come B. go C. get D. contribute
- come to terms with: chấp nhận….
22. I know him by _______ but I have no idea what his name is.
A. myself B. heart C. chance D. sight
- know sb by sight: biết mặt ai đó
23. He said he had every _____ in his secretary; she would do the right thing.
A. belief B. dependence C. knowledge D. confidence
- confidence in: tự tin vào
24. If you have a _____ to make about the food, I am willing to listen.
A. dislike B. trouble C. complaint D. discontent
25. He gave his listeners a vivid ______ of his journey through Peru.
A. account B. tale C. communication D. plot
- a vivid account of sth: tường thuật sống động về cái gì
26. He was full of _______ for her bravery.
A. energy B. admiration C. surprise D. pride
27. Science has made great _____ during the past 30 years.
A. motions B. advances C. advantages D. opportunities
28. When he was a student, his father gave him a monthly ______ towards his expenses.

IDIOMS-COLLOCATIONS Trang 2/
 A. salary B. permission C. allowance D. wage
29. Before you sign anything important, pay careful _____ to all the conditions.
A. notice B. attention C. regards D. reference
30. The two scientists disagreed and a _______ argument developed.
A. wet B. bitter C. salty D. sour
31. ______ up children properly is mainly their parents’ duty.
A. Rearing B. Breeding C. Raising D. Bringing
32. Several prisoners _______ from their guards and escaped.
A. broke away B. broke out C. broke through D. broke down
33. The specialist was under so much stress that he finally ________.
A. broke off B. broke down C. broke out D. broke in
34. The audience waited until the curtain had risen and then _____ into applause.
A. flooded B. cheered C. started D. burst
- burst into applause: rầm rộ tiếng vỗ tay
35. When she heard from the hospital the father had died, she ______ into tears.
A. burst B. exploded C. fell D. melted
- burst into tears: bật khóc
36. If you put too many potatoes in that paper-bag it will ______.
A. explode B. crack C. burst D. overcrowd
37. I’m afraid you have no _____ but to come along with us.
A. permission B. choice C. selection D. election
38. I shall never manage to beat John at tennis; we are clearly not in the same ______.
A. set B. band C. class D. order
39. In the capitalist countries, the rising _______ of living is as hard on country families as on
city families.
A. amount B. cost C. expense D. price
40. Forget it. It is no use crying over spilt _________.
A. water B. juice C. milk D. lemonade
41. Candidates are advised to dress formally to make a good ________ on job interviewers.
A. impression B. permission C. effort D. admission
42. The presenter started his speech with a few_______ jokes to build rapport with the audience.
A. whole-hearted B. light-hearted C. soft-hearted D. kind-hearted
- whole-hearted: nhiệt tình
- light-hearted: vui vẻ
- soft-hearted: mềm lòng
- kind-hearted: tốt bụng
43. Many people head for the countryside where the flat _______ of fields helps them escape
from the hectic city life.
A. extension B. expansion C. extent D. expanse
44. Another _______ will be drawn from the experiment.
A. conclusion B. attention C. contrast D. inference

IDIOMS-COLLOCATIONS Trang 3/
45. It is believed that travelling is a good way to expand our _______ of the world.
A. knowledge B. mind C. head D. knowing
46. We know that we are at fault for our third consecutive defeat, so there is no need to _______
salt into the wound.
A. spread B. rub C. apply D. put
- rub salt into the wound: xát muối vào vết thương
47. In (an/a) _______ to diffuse the tension, I suggest that we break off for lunch.
A. attempt B. collect C. master D. achieve
- in an attempt to V: trong một nỗ lực làm gì
48. Parents often advise their children to study hard in the hope that they will_______ success in
the future.
A. gather B. collect C. master D. achieve
49. No matter how angry he was, he would never_______ to violence.
A. exert B. resolve C. resort D. recourse
- resort to sth: viện tới, nhờ tới
50. I have a mere _______ of German.
A. smattering B. knowledge C. acquaintance D. command
- smattering: một chút
51. The house was burgled while the family was _______ in a card game.
A. buried B. busy C. absorbed D. helping
- be absorbed in: very interested in something and not paying attention to anything else
52. I am sorry that I can’t _______ your invitation.
A. take B. except C. agree D. accept
- accept one’s invitation: đồng ý lời mời của ai
53. ______ what he says, he wasn’t even there when the crime was committed.
A. Following B. According to C. Hearing D. meaning
54. He has impressed his employers considerably and ______ he is soon to be promoted.
A. nevertheless B. accordingly C. yet D. eventually
55. He gave his listeners a vivid ______ of his journey through Peru.
A. account B. tale C. communication D. plot
56. Will you be taking my precious experience into _______ when you fix my salary?
A. possession B. account C. mind D. scale
57. The policeman stopped him when he was driving home and _______ him of speeding.
A. charged B. accused C. blamed D. arrested
58. The ______ of ice-cream sold increases sharply in the summer months.
A. account B. amount C. number D. size
59. If you are bitten by a poisonous snake. it is necessary to be given an ______ as quickly as
possible.
A. analgesic B. antibiotic C. antiseptic D. antidote
- analgesic: thuốc giảm đau

IDIOMS-COLLOCATIONS Trang 4/
- antibiotic: thuốc kháng sinh
- antiseptic: thuốc sát trùng
- antidote: thuốc giải độc
60. Let me know if any difficulties _______.
A. arise B. come C. rise D. happen
61. Could you please _______ an appointment for me to see Mr. Smith?
A. manage B. arrange C. take D. have
- arrange an appointment: sắp xếp một cuộc hẹn
62. The police _______ her for helping the murderer to escape.
A. caught B. searched C. brought D. arrested
63. In the market, the merchants _______ and joked with their friends and neighbours.
A. bargained B. gardened C. bearded D. changed
- bargained: mặc cả
64. He couldn’t ____ the thought of leaving his home town for ever.
A. think B. bear C. carry D. hold
65. The room was so quiet that she could hear the _____ of her heart.
A. beating B. tapping C. knocking D. striking
66. He has adopted three orphans _________his own six children so that, all together, he has
nine children to provide for.
A. besides B. except C. beside D. in place of
67. The weather was ______ the exceptionally poor harvest.
A. blamed for B. condemned for C. accused of D. criticized for
68. If you are so senseless as to go on long walks in tight fitting shoes, you must expect to get
___ .
A. scars B. bruises C. blisters D. spots

IDIOMS-COLLOCATIONS Trang 5/