Page 105 - Grasp English C1 (Student Book)

Antıquıty 8

C. Read the text about ancient Greek idioms and choose the answer.

1. Someone talking about their Achilles heel is talking about their strength / weakness.
2. Someone with sour grapes is consoling you / feeling jealous.
3. If you are in Cloud Cuckoo Land, you are realistic / unrealistic.
4. If you spill the beans you keep / reveal a secret.
5. Someone who rests on their laurels is / is no longer trying hard.
6. If you get the wrong end of the stick, you don’t understand what a word means / think you know the
meaning, but you are incorrect.

D. Match the words with their definitions.
1. dip a. put something in liquid and take it out again
2. immortal b. reward or achievement
3. vulnerable c. too early

4. dismissive d. acting as if something is unimportant
5. console e. weak
6. fanciful f. unable to die
7. prematurely g. support someone who is feeling sad
8. accolade h. foolishly imaginative

E. In pairs, write a short dialogue using one of the
idioms below.
spill the beans – Achilles heel – don’t rest on your
laurels – it’s just sour grapes – cloud cuckoo land
got the wrong end of the stick

F. Discuss the questions in pairs or groups.
1. Are the phrases in the text translatable into
your own language?
2. Do you know the meaning of these idioms
and how they originated?
It’s a Herculean task – Touch wood! – Don’t cry
wolf – He blows hot and cold – It’s a Pandora’s
Box
3. Do you know the origin of any other English
idioms?

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