Các thành ngữ thường thấy trong đề thi đại học và đời sống

Các thành ngữ ( idioms) hay gặp đề thi đại học đời sống Phần 1: sell / go like hot cakes : bán đắt tôm tươi e.g During the days when the temperature dropped under 10oC, electric heaters sold / went like hot cakes in the Northern cities of Vietnam Suốt ngày nhiệt độ tụt xuống 10oC, lò sưởi điện tử bắt đắt hàng tôm tươi thành phố miền Bắc Việt Nam find fault with : trích, kiếm chuyện, bắt lỗi e.g It is very easy to find fault with the work of others Rất dễ mà trích công việc người khác off and on / on and off : không đặn, e.g We don't go there often - just off and on Tụi tơi khơng đến đặn, make believe : giả bộ, giả vờ e.g I tried to make believe she was happy, but knew deep down it wasn't true Tôi cố làm ta hạnh phúc, tận đáy lịng tơi biết không make good time : di chuyển nhanh, nhanh (trong lữ hành) e.g We made good time and were at the hotel by lunchtime Tụi nhanh nên trước ăn trưa có mặt khách sạn Practice: Use one of the five expressions above to fill in each space He could always _ something, either in my writing or in my personality We _ on our trip to Florida last month The book has only just been published and copies are already _ in both Britain and America We've been going out together for five years, _ George _ that he was sick so that he would not have to go to school KEY (các bạn tô đen) find fault with made good time off made believe selling / going like hot cakes off and on / on and Phần 2: 1.pull someone's leg : trêu chọc e.g He never seems to be serious when talking with me He is always trying to pull my legs Nó chẳng nghiêm túc nói chuyện với tao Nó ln ln tìm cách trêu chọc tao hit the roof / ceiling : giận e.g Ranieri returned, saw the mess, and hit the roof Ranieri trở về, thấy đống lộn xộn giận look daggers at someone : giận nhìn e.g Their relationship is not free and easy but at least Red is no longer looking daggers at her Quan hệ họ không thoải mái dễ chịu, tối thiểu Red khơng cịn hay giận nhìn cổ be out of question : e.g You can't go in that old shirt - it's out of the question Mày cố mặc đầm cũ kỹ vơ - Thật khơng thể all at once : e.g All at once there was a loud banging on the door Thình lình có tiếng dộng lớn vào cửa Practice: Use one of the five expressions above to fill in each space When I asked him whether he could go with us, he said that it was _ at this time of year _ the sky became dark and it started to rain I haven't won, have I? You're _ He _ the security guard of the supermarket when this man asked him to open his bag The teacher _ when she knew that more than ten students cheated in her test KEY (các bạn tô đen) out of question All at once ceiling Phần 3: pulling my legs looked daggers at hit the roof / blow one's trumpet : bốc phét, khoác lác e.g Anyone will tell you she's one of the best journalists we've got, although she'd never blow her trumpet Ai nói với anh cổ nhà báo giỏi mà tuyển dụng, cổ chẳng khốc lác (về điều sleep on it : suy nghĩ thêm điều e.g You don't have to give me your decision now Sleep on it, and let me know tomorrow Anh không cần cho biết định anh Hãy suy nghĩ thêm cho biết ngày mai fight tooth and claw / nail : đánh dội, cấu xé e.g We fought tooth and nail to retain our share of the business Chúng cấu xé để giữ cổ phần doanh nghiệp take into account / consideration : xem xét, xét đến e.g In judging her work you should take into account / consideration that she has been quite sick recently Khi phê phán công việc cổ, anh nên xem xét gần cổ bị bệnh play tricks / jokes on : trêu chọc, chọc phá e.g The older boys are always playing tricks / jokes on Carl They hide his hat, steal his books, etc Mấy thằng trai lớn ln ln chọc phá Carl Chúng giấu nón, ăn cắp sách nó, v.v Practice: Use one of the five expressions above to fill in each space 1 The two groups of bullies _ before the police cam last night I really hate my boss because he keeps _ - saying that he is the number-one businessman in the whole country The kids are always _ their teachers Coursework is _ as well as exam results You should _ and give me your answer at the end of this month KEY (các bạn tô đen) fought / had fought tooth and claw / nail blowing his trumpet on taken into account / consideration sleep on it Phần 4: playing tricks / jokes drop someone a line / note : viết thư cho (thư ngắn) e.g Drop me a line / note when you get there Hãy viết cho tơi vài dịng thư anh đến know someone / something like the back of one's hand : rõ lòng bàn tay, biết tường tận e.g This is where I grew up I know this area like the back of my hand Đây nơi trưởng thành Tôi biết rõ vùng nơi lòng bàn tay down the drain : đổ sơng đổ biển (nghĩa bóng) e.g It's just money down the drain Đó tiền đổ sơng đổ biển once and for all : lần mà thôi, lần chót mà thơi, dứt khốt e.g I told him once and for all that I wouldn't go there Tao bảo lần chót tao khơng chịu tới have / get one's own way : làm theo điều muốn (thích) e.g If Helen doesn't have / get her own way, she gets very angry Nếu Helen khơng làm muốn, trở nên tức tối Practice: Use one of the five expressions above to fill in each space She always _ in the end We need to settle this _ Remember to remind him to _ me _ when you come to Thailand to visit him I regret buying this second-hand car It was a lot of money _ He has been working at this museum for more than 30 years and _ KEY (các bạn tô đen) has / get her own way once and for all drop / a line (note) down the drain knows it like the back of his hand Phần 5: smell a rat : hồi nghi, linh cảm chuyện khơng ổn e.g The minute I came in, I smelled a rat Ngay lúc tơi bước vơ, tơi linh cảm có chuyện bất ổn the last straw : giọt nước tràn li (nghĩa bóng) e.g When she showed up late a third time, that was the last straw We had to fire her Khi cổ xuất trễ phần ba thời gian, giọt nước tràn li khiến phải đuổi việc cổ get the hand of something : nắm được, sử dụng e.g After three weeks of using this computer I think I've finally got the hang of it Sau tuần lễ sử dụng máy điện tốn này, tơi nghĩ cuối nắm cách xài hard of hearing : lãng tai, nặng tai e.g Tom is hard of hearing, but is not totally deaf Tom bị lãng tai, khơng điếc đặc keep an eye on : coi chừng, ngó chừng e.g Please keep an eye on the baby Làm ơn ngó chừng thằng nhỏ Practice: Use one of the five expressions above to fill in each space A computer is something very strange to this old woman, but she soon _ it _ my suitcase while I buy my ticket You will have to speak a little louder Mr Evans is _ He said there was nothing that happened, but I began to _ when he kept beating about the bush The fact that the team lost the last match was _ The coach was forced to resign KEY (các bạn tô đen) gets the hang of Keep an eye on hard of hearing smell a rat the last straw Phần 6: have a bee in one's bonnet (about something) : đặt nặng chuyện gì, chấp chuyện e.g She has a bee in her bonnet about going to America Cổ đặt nặng chuyện Mĩ a splitting headache : nhức đầu búa bổ e.g Today, I woke up with a splitting headache Hôm thức dậy mà đầu nhức búa bổ pay through the nose (for something) : trả giá cao, trả giá mắc để mua e.g If you want a decent wine in a restaurant, you have to pay through the nose for it Nếu ông muốn uống rượu hảo hạng nhà hàng, ông phải trả giá cao ghê để mua 4 on second thoughts : suy nghĩ kĩ e.g On second thoughts, it was a dumb movie Suy nghĩ kĩ, phim ngớ ngẩn in vain : vơ ích, uổng cơng e.g Government agents tried in vain to kidnap him Đặc vụ chánh phủ cố bắt cóc hắn, song bất thành Practice: Use one of the five expressions above to fill in each space I drank too much beer at the party last night and now I have _ _, I've decided it would be better o travel by sea My brother has just bought a flat in Hochiminh City but he said that he had to _ for it All the doctor's efforts were _ and the man soon died My mother never buys red meat when she goes to market because she always _ about it doing harm to our health KEY (các bạn tô đen) a splitting headache a bee in her bonnet On second thoughts pay through the nose in vain has ... get there Hãy viết cho tơi vài dịng thư anh đến know someone / something like the back of one's hand : rõ lòng bàn tay, biết tường tận e.g This is where I grew up I know this area like the back... tricks / jokes on : trêu chọc, chọc phá e.g The older boys are always playing tricks / jokes on Carl They hide his hat, steal his books, etc Mấy thằng trai lớn luôn chọc phá Carl Chúng giấu nón,... túc nói chuyện với tao Nó ln ln tìm cách trêu chọc tao hit the roof / ceiling : giận e.g Ranieri returned, saw the mess, and hit the roof Ranieri trở về, thấy đống lộn xộn giận look daggers at