I.

A bone of contention, in a nutshell, rack one’s brains, start the ball rolling, the bare
bones, rock the boat, talk shop, pass the buck, get a grip, drive home
1. She racked her brains, trying to remember what David had said.
2. For God's sake get a grip!
3. I can't tell you more than the bare bones of what happened.
4. A study of women at work says, in a nutshell, that opportunities have opened up
dramatically.
5. How come they’re talking shop even when they’re off duty?
6. It's easy to pass the buck and blame someone else for your failure.
7. The new tax on property is likely to become a serious bone of contention.
8. As long as you don't rock the boat, nobody cares what you do.
9. He didn't have to drive the point home. The videotape had done that.
10. To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute £1 million.

II.

1. The next morning, we all put our heads together to decide what should be done.
2. Assurances that things have changed ring hollow in many ears.
3. The windscreen wipers sounded asthmatic, fighting a losing battle against the insistent rain.
4. I hope Emma isn't going to be there - she really gets on my nerves.
5. Instead, put on your thinking cap, and turn those prepared ingredients into new dishes.
6. In an attempt to clear the air, Mills has planned a meeting with employees to discuss the
issue.
7. We've got to solve the problem instead of going round in circles, writing letters that never
get answered.
8. She tried to talk him into letting her go, but he ordered her sharply to hold her tongue.
9. He had an authority, an abrupt decisiveness, that threw me off balance.
10. Tom didn't mince words and told me straight away that I had failed.