Lesson 11: Idioms from Nature

Introductory Quiz
Guess the correct meaning of each idiom from the context. It's OK if you get a lot
of answers wrong – what’s important is to do your best in trying to figure it out!

1) The teacher played a few games with the students to help break the ice on
the first day of English class.

"Break the ice" means...

A encourage people to exercise

B initiate social exchanges
C make everyone laugh

2) My 5-year-old is developing the habit of throwing temper tantrums in

public when we don't do what he wants. We need to nip this behavior in the
bud.

To "nip something in the bud" means...

A find a creative solution

B punish a child severely
C stop something early

3) After being fired from his last few jobs for unexplained absences, it looks
like Brian has turned over a new leaf - he hasn't missed a day of work in
months.

If you "turn over a new leaf," it means you...

A begin earning a higher salary

B change your religion
C start behaving in a better way

4) Workers not wearing protective equipment is just the tip of the iceberg -
that factory is plagued with serious safety violations.

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If something is "the tip of the iceberg," it means...

A a lot of people are doing it incorrectly

B it's likely to cause a fatal accident
C it's only a small part of a bigger, hidden problem

5) I put up with my boyfriend's messy habits for months for the sake of the
relationship. However, when I traveled for a month and he didn't wash a
single dish during that whole time, that was the last straw - I told him to
move out.

If something is "the last straw," it means...

A it is the final thing that causes everything to collapse

B it is the last thing you expected somebody to do
C it is the worst offense

6) Stop beating around the bush and just tell me how much it cost to repair
the car.

"Beating around the bush" means...

A avoiding talking about the important point

B blaming an accident on someone else
C lying about a problem

7) You have to be an extremely talented musician to get into that program.

They only take the cream of the crop.

"The cream of the crop" means...

A the most famous

B rich people
C the best of all

8) The economy is recovering, but we're not out of the woods yet -
unemployment is still high and the recession could return at any time.

If you are "out of the woods," it means...

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 A you have passed a critical or dangerous phase
B you aren't prepared for danger
C you don't know what's going to happen

9) I wanted to go to an Italian restaurant, but all my friends were craving

Chinese food, so I just decided to go with the flow.

If you "go with the flow," it means you...

A don't resist the natural progress of events

B don't eat anything
C separate from the group to do something different

10) A $25 donation to cancer research is just a drop in the ocean, but every
little bit helps.

"A drop in the ocean" means...

A a small amount compared to what is needed

B an action that is not obligatory
C something that will help all of humanity

11) My favorite baseball team is still leading the league, but they're on thin
ice - the second-place team is only one game behind.

"On thin ice" means...

A of superior quality
B in a risky situation
C guaranteed easy victory

12) This is the first year our school is running the "English for Tourism"
program, so we're in uncharted waters.

If you're in "uncharted waters," it means you're...

A expanding the number of options

B in a new, previously unexplored area
C providing what the students want

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13) I know you don't have to cut out ALL sweets while on a diet, but I prefer to
avoid eating even the smallest bit of chocolate because it's a slippery slope
for me.

If something is a "slippery slope," it means...

A it easily leads to worse things

B it makes you feel sick
C it's not necessary

Explanation

#1 - break the ice = (B) – initiate social exchanges

When the surface of a lake is frozen, the ice is a barrier to accessing the water.
In the same way, a group of people who don't know each other may have the
"barrier" of being shy to interact. An activity that "breaks the ice" is one that
helps remove the barrier so that people will interact with each other. This
activity can be called an "icebreaker."

#2 - nip something in the bud = (C) – stop something early

This is a bud - it is a flower before it opens. The word "nip" means to cut. If
you cut off the bud before the flower opens, you stop its development early.
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This idiom is used when you want to stop a problem in an early stage, before it
gets worse.

#3 - turn over a new leaf = (C) – start behaving in a better way

Springtime, when new leaves appear on the trees, is often associated with new
life. If a person turns over a new leaf, it means that he or she had a history of
bad behavior, but has changed - now making good decisions and taking
positive action.

#4 - the tip of the iceberg = (C) – only a small part of a bigger

problem that is hidden

An iceberg is a large block of ice in the ocean. Icebergs are very large, but
usually only a small part is visible above the water.

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The word "tip" means the top or the extremity. So if you say that something is
just the tip of the iceberg, it means that it is a small part of a much bigger
problem.

#5 - the last straw = (A) – the final thing that causes everything
to collapse

Dried-out grain or grass is called straw. Imagine a camel with a lot of very
heavy bags on its back. If the camel is already at its limit and you add just one
straw, the extra weight will break the camel's back.

This idiom is used when there is a long series of problems, and the final one
that makes everything completely fail or collapse is "the last straw" or "the
straw that broke the camel's back."

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#6 - beat around the bush = (A) – avoid talking about the
important point

A bush is a plant that grows close to the ground. In the past, hunters often
"beat" (hit) the ground around the bushes in order to scare any animals out of
the bush so that they would be easier targets.

However, they didn't hit the bush directly; they kept some distance from the
bush just in case a dangerous animal came out.

The idiom "beat around the bush" therefore means not talking directly about
the main point; instead, you give details on related topics and avoid
addressing the main topic.

#7 - the cream of the crop = (C) – the best of all

This idiom actually comes from a mixture of two other idioms.

The "cream" is considered the best part of the milk, and there is another
expression in English "the cream rises to the top" - meaning the best will
always become apparent.

The word "crop" refers to any plant that is cultivated in agriculture, like rice,
corn, fruit, vegetables, etc. The best part of the crop was originally called "the
pick of the crop" - but at some point the two idioms mixed and became "the
cream of the crop" meaning the best among many others.

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#8 - out of the woods = (A) – have passed a critical or dangerous
phase

The word “woods” refers to a small forest. The woods can be a dangerous
place, so if you go "out of the woods" you are safe, you are out of danger, and
you can relax.

The idiom "out of the woods" can be used in both the positive and negative.
For example, if someone was really sick, but is recovering and no longer in
danger of dying, you could say "The doctors say she's out of the woods." If you
have taken three final exams, but you still have two more to take, you could
say, "I still have two final exams to take. I'm not out of the woods yet" -
meaning you are not yet past the critical period of exam-taking.

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#9 - go with the flow = (A) – accept events as they develop,
without resisting

The word flow refers to the movement of water in a river, which goes in one
direction.

If you go with the flow, you follow the natural progress of events. In the quiz
example, when you wanted to eat Italian food but your friends wanted
Chinese food, deciding to "go with the flow" means you did not resist your
friends' decision, and you accompanied them to the Chinese restaurant.

#10 - on thin ice = (A) – in a risky situation

If the ice on the surface of a lake is thin, then it is not very strong. The ice
could break, and you could fall into the cold water. This is why the idiom "on
thin ice" or "skating on thin ice" means a risky and possibly dangerous
situation.

#11 – in uncharted waters = (B) – in a new, previously

unexplored area

In this expression, "waters" refers to the ocean - and "uncharted" means

unexplored; there are no maps of the area. So the idiom "in uncharted waters"
means you are in a situation that is completely new for you.
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#12 - it's a slippery slope = (B) – it easily leads to worse things

Slope is a word for a hill or incline - and slippery means it's easy to slip or
slide. If you were walking and you stepped onto a slippery slope, it would be
easy for you to slide all the way down to the bottom. So this idiom is used
metaphorically in any situation where some things would very easily lead to
much worse things.

This expression is often used in law and politics, when people argue that one
action would naturally make it easy for worse and worse things to happen.

#13 - just a drop in the ocean = (A) – a small amount compared

to what is needed

A single "unit" of water is called a drop, and one drop is very small compared
to the entire ocean - so an action that appears small and insignificant
compared to the greater context is called "a drop in the ocean" or sometimes
"a drop in the bucket."

Now take the practice quiz and try the short-answer exercises!

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Practice Quiz
1) The rapid advance of social media in the past few years means that parents
today are _____________ when it comes to helping kids use the internet safely
and effectively.

A a drop in the bucket

B in uncharted waters
C going with the flow

2) The government made a temporary agreement with the rebels, but they're
_______________ - there's still a long way to go before reaching complete peace
and stability.

A breaking the ice

B the cream of the crop
C not out of the woods yet

3) His angry outbursts at work are only ____________ - I hear he's also been
charged twice with domestic violence.

A beating around the bush

B the last straw
C the tip of the iceberg

4) You should visit the dentist regularly to ________________, because major

dental work can be quite expensive.

A go with the flow

B nip any problems in the bud
C turn over a new leaf

5) I always tell a few funny stories to ___________ on a first date.

A break the ice

B beat around the bush
C get out of the woods

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6) I'm going to Europe this summer, but I don't have any specific plans - I'll
just ______________.

A go with the flow

B be in uncharted waters
C nip it in the bud

7) I adopted two dogs from the animal shelter, but that's ______________. We
really need to educate all of society about not mistreating animals.

A the last straw

B just a drop in the ocean
C the tip of the iceberg

8) You lost some of the confidential documents again? That's __________ - you're
fired!

A on thin ice
B the cream of the crop
C the last straw

9) When I asked Joe how his new job is going, he kept _____________. I guess he
doesn't really want to talk about it.

A beating around the bush

B breaking the camel's back
C turning over a new leaf

10) Wow! I've tasted some great California wines in my life, but this one is
really _______________.

A a slippery slope
B going with the flow
C the cream of the crop

Answers are at the end of this lesson.

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Short-Answer Exercises
1. Describe a time when you nipped a problem in the bud.

2. Do you normally go with the flow, or do you prefer to follow a pre-

determined plan?

3. What's the best way to adapt if you are in uncharted waters?

4. Have you ever experienced or seen a situation where there was a "straw
that broke the camel's back"?

5. If you're at a social event where you don't know anyone, how do you
break the ice?

If you want correction / feedback, you can e-mail me your writing at

homework@espressoenglish.net

Practice Quiz Answers

1) B

2) C

3) C

4) B

5) A

6) A

7) B

8) C

9) A

10) C

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