Test [9-10]

___ ___ ____ ______ ______ I like it a lot.

I am not gonna lie

He was admitted to the nearby ________.

ICU

If you read all these books, you will get a _____ ___ in this competition.

a leg up

And meanwhile, I suggest you keep ________.

a low profile

It's fairly ______ work, such as washing dishes and cleaning floors.

a menial job

Sit-ups work your ________ muscles.

abdominal

The problem of poverty is particularly _______ in rural areas.

acute

He had a deep _______ for his aunt.

affection

Meet Dwayne Johnson, ____ The Rock.

aka

Such is my ___, I naturally woo with every sense.

allure

Members of Måneskin band usually present _________ looks.

androgynous

At this stage we can't really ______ what will happen.

anticipate

My son has little ________ for sport.

aptitude

I have some funds to start my own business, but if something goes wrong, my investors will _____ me _____.

back up

The mayor foresaw no political _____against his proposal.

backlash

I've got a huge _______ of work to do.

backlog

Don't let her frighten you - her ____ _____ ___ ___ ___ ____.

bark is worse than her bite

Hipsters love wearing different ________.

beanies

To make an omelette you first _____ ___ ______.

beat the eggs

Her friends has _______ her before her date.

bedazzled

She had ________ him with her knowledge and beauty.

bedazzled

Doctors are often _______ for being poor communicators, particularly when they have to give patients bad news.

berated

McDonald's is a ____ ____ of fast food industry.

big kahuna

It's a __________ choice, you either accept or you refuse.

binary

That moment was _________. I was happy she moved on, but I didn't want to let her go.

bittersweet

At your age, the world is a _____ _____.

blank slate

We spent a ________ year together before things started to go wrong.

blissful

The army was brought in to try to prevent further _______.

bloodshed

Her business is _____ at the moment. It is a good time to invest in her.

booming

She was ____ ____ of her highly paid job.

booted out

My blood pressure was ______, and the doctor said I should lose weight.

borderline

I hate to sound like a ______ _______, but I've already got a job.

broken record

E-boys are meant to be _______ and emotional.

brooding

The distributors will probably ____ ____ the price of the software when the next version is released.

bump up

I hate to ______ your _______, but that's never going to happen.

burst bubble

If he did anything wrong, I'd be the first to ____ him ____ on it.

call out

You're the boss here - you get to ____ ___ ______.

call the shots

I never add ________ to my instagram pictures.

captions

He is a primary _________ for his children.

caregiver

Due to a _______ ___ _______ letter sent by lawyers, this site's content is current unavailable.

cease and desist

The meat was tasteless and ____.

chewy

You should be more _______ _____ this whole situation.

chill about

Add some fresh parsley, finely ______.

chopped

The first fatalities of the war were _________.

civilians

When I got my first job I was just a ______ teenager.

cocky

She put up her house as ______ for a loan.

collateral

Fresh evidence has recently ________.

come to light

Pizza and other types of junk food are my _____ _____.

comfort food

Then his wife left the room and he started ______ ____ to me.

coming on

If the government is seen to _______ violence, the bloodshed will never stop.

condone

He likes wearing dresses and doesn't want to _______ _____ social norms.

conform to/with

Don't feel __________ to do what he says - he has no authority.

constrained

She wanted to buy a dress in case someone asked her to the dance, but I told her not to ___ ___ _____ ___ ___ ______.

count her chickens before they hatched

The police are having a ______on cyclists without lights.

crackdown

Many young children ______ attention.

crave

She possesses impressive ________ and practical experience in both state and federal court.

credentials

Most lenders consider _______ above 700 good.

credit scores

In our culture, a friendship between an 11-year-old girl and a 36-year-old man is considered _____.

creepy

It is very chewy on the inside and _______on the outside.

crispy

Could you cut the ____ off the sandwiches, please?

crusts

We could hear him _________ as he tried to get the door open.

cursing

The company plunged the wages to ____ _____.

cut costs

"Andrew's late again." "______ _____ ____ _______ - his wife just had a baby."

cut him some slack

Chefs place an onion on a ______ and chop or dice it with a few rapid cuts of a sharp knife.

cutting board

Anna's such a _________ - I had no idea she'd published a novel.

dark horse

The area has now been ________ safe.

deemed

When important changes occur at work it can be easy to feel ____________.

demotivated

He caught the ball with great ______.

dexterity

He sat in a ______ corner of the waiting room.

dim

He once _____ with the president of France.

dined

They enjoyed the meal but were ____ by how much it cost.

dismayed

There is the growing ______ between rich and poor.

disparity

Bourbon is only made in American _________.

distilleries

Although the two organizations have worked together for many years, their objectives have ______ recently.

diverged

______ the pasta thoroughly.

drain

Many employees have had to take _______ cuts in pay.

drastic

We are dealing with _______ resources and aging buildings.

dwindling

The realization of my wrong doings _____ me _______.

eats alive

The desire to be the best _____ ____ _______ from inside out.

eats me alive

I am getting so ________ I might scream at her.

edgy

Crowds marched through the streets carrying burning effigies of the president.

effigies

A sense of guilt was deeply _________ in my conscience.

embedded

He couldn't resist ______ the story of his accident a little.

embellishing

Arthur Ashe ______the ideals of good sportsmanship.

embodied

This was an opportunity that he would ______.

embrace

They hope to ________the success of other software companies.

emulate

I am sorry they give you ____ last time.

enema

Repairing the roof will ______ spending a lot of money.

entail

The government claims to be doing all it can to ______ corruption.

eradicate

It's sad to see someone ________ from their parents.

estranged

The scene will be _______ on my memory forever.

etched

Plants keep cool during the summer by _______water from their leaves.

evaporating

We shared the money _____ amongst the three of us.

evenly

It's a sexually _______ movie. It should be R-rated.

explicit

Her _________ are yellow, I don't think it is approptiate for a formal job.

eyeshadows

Tonight's program _________ some outstanding performers.

features

I'm ___ ____ with cleaning up after you all the time.

fed up

I'm just ____ ____ with his excuses for not getting his work done.

fed up

He was convicted of a ______. He was shouting and screaming obscenities.

felony

These plants need a moist ____soil and a sheltered position.

fertile

I have to _____ my mother from the station.

fetch

Her red hair ______ ___ ___ _____

first meets the eye

If you got rich by some _____ of nature that doesn't make you brilliant.

fluke

I would sacrifice myself ___ ___ ______ __________.

for the common good

Juries often hear only a ________ of the story.

fraction

Only massive changes in government policies will prevent the peso going into _____ (= falling quickly in value by a large amount).

free fall

He's so ______ about the house - everything has to be absolutely perfect.

fussy

I like to _____ when I play cards - it makes it more interesting.

gamble

He is on diet. He is trying to ____ ___ ______.

get in shape

The cemetery is a ______ place.

gloomy

Squats are ideal for developing and toning the ______.

glutes

The argument ____ ______ when he had mentioned his recent break-up.

got heated

I don't know why I'm eating more - it's not hunger, it's just _______!

greed

I hadn't had enough sleep and was feeling kind of _______.

grumpy

"Too tired," he _______ and sat down.

grunted

He pulled (= injured) a _______ while playing football.

hamstring

LGBT mentions has always ____ ____ ___ _____ between people.

heated up the debate

In their _____, they sold as many records as all the other groups in the country put together.

heyday

The company's _____ fashion features items like $500 shirts.

high-end

He bought me a drink and asked a few personal questions. Do you think he is ____ ___ me?

hitting on

The population of the village has remained remarkably ________.

homogeneous

She was wearing large gold ______ in her ears.

hoops

They never speak about the roots of the problem, they only ____ _____ it.

hover around

It is an________ statement, because if one part is true, then the other must be false.

illogical

___ __ ___ __ ___ ____ I know that I am actually guilty.

in the back of my head (mind)

I'm ___ ____ ________ - I broke Sara's favourite vase this morning.

in the doghouse

He gave an ______ speech at last night's rally.

incendiary

Bonus payments provide an _______ to work harder.

incentive

A journalist managed to ____ the powerful drug cartel.

infiltrate

Turkey is expecting an ____ of several thousand refugees over the next few days.

influx

Allow the tea to _______for five minutes.

infuse

She believed technology was _______ good.

inherently

You should put the money in a savings account where it will earn ______.

interest

There's something ________wrong with taking advantage of children.

intrinsically

__ ___ _____ ___ _____ that I am ready.

it is safe to say

I have some problems at home, but I am trying to ____ ___ ___ ___ work.

keep my mind on

We left our dog at the ______ when we went away.

kennel

I ____ ___ ____ ___ ____ _____ and picked the kids up on the way to the supermarket.

killed two birds with one stone

We can't release his name until we have informed his next of ____.

kin

This fight was my ____ _____. I am leaving you.

last straw

The dessert was decorated with strips of _____ peel.

lemon

I wouldn't bring up the subject again if I were you, I'd ___ ____ ____ ____.

let sleeping dogs lie

Any kind of _______ remarks or comments are not allowed at the workplace.

lewd

I didn't have any friends that were like me. I just always felt ____ ___ ___ ____ __ ____.

like a fish out of water

After the play had finished, we _______ for a while in the bar hoping to catch sight of the actors.

lingered

Reputable charities spend the _____ ______ of donations on aid and a tiny fraction on administration.

lion's share

You're my best friend and we got a chance to ____ ____ our childhood dreams.

live out

We expected a lot of her, and her performance ____ ____ ___ ____ _________.

lived up to our expectations

I have a house, a loving wife, two children - I am _____ ___ _____.

living the dream

This country is never seen anything but bloodshed. They bear a ________ for peace and quiet

longing

He looked __________ in that suit!

ludicrous

He drives like a______.

lunatic

They _____ complete _____ of themselves at the dinner.

made pigs

The story is seen through the eyes of a boy on the verge of ________.

manhood

He dazzled the country as a modern, _______ politician.

media-savvy

New Orleans is one of the great _______ ___ of America.

melting pots

He often gets ______ and it bothers him a lot.

misgendered

The leaves absorb ________ from the air.

moisture

They took out a £40o,000 ________ to buy the house.

mortgage

The meat was ______ and tasteless.

mushy

She asked him to put a _____ on his dog after it scared her children.

muzzle

___________ people have a hard time seeing another person's point of view.

narcissistic

When he laughs he sounds like a horse ________.

neighing

Do you have some peanuts for us to _____ while the party warms up?

nibble

So it would have been very difficult for him to get a job in Poland. ______ ___ ______ the paperwork, which would have been very complicated, too.

not to mention

I've never driven a car before - I'm a complete _______.

novices

Students are expected to be quiet and _______ in the classroom.

obedient

She claims to have ______ powers, given to her by some mysterious spirit.

occult

A dividend payment this year is definitely ____ __ ______.

off the table

There are many ________ earphones, but most people want Apple.

off-brand

There was an ________ silence when I asked whether my contract was going to be renewed.

ominous

Please keep your dog ____ ____ ______ when on the beach.

on a leash

I can't spend that much. I am ______ ______.

on budget

I wan't to live abroad. But ___ ___ _______, it also means that I need to live my motherland.

on the flip side

I'll have a whisky __ ______ ______, please.

on the rocks

Running a business requires you to thing ___ _____ ________.

one step ahead

Their _______ goal was to clean up government corruption, but their real aim was to unseat the government.

ostensible

This is an ______ dress. Not sure it is appropriate for a working party.

outlandish

These prices are just ___________.

outrageous

Changes to the tax system are long ________.

overdue

As a marketing manager, her job is to ________ all the company's advertising.

oversee

Because of a bank ____ the money had not been credited to my account.

oversight

He shows no ______ signs of his unhappiness.

overt

She felt an _________ need to tell someone about what had happened.

overwhelming

I think I ____ you ____ ________ for being so rude.

own an apology

Everything you've told me is obviously a ___ ___ ____.

pack of lies

The minister ______ to the men who had fought the blaze.

paid tribute

With this insurance policy there is a maximum _______ of €2,500.

payout

These ______ are still too firm to eat.

pears

We _______ on bar stools and had a beer.

perched

This hotel is full of _____ such as rats, mice, or cockroaches.

pests

Only one newspaper ______ on the contradictions in the statement.

picked up

In the silence that followed, a lone voice _____ ___ from the back of the room.

piped up

Some people use _____ _____ when they train to lose more calories.

plastic wrap

I only got married to _____ my parents.

please

My problems aren't much compared with the __of the storm victims.

plight

Our income has ______ dramatically. I am not sure we will be able to survive the next year.

plunged

We had ______ eggs for breakfast.

poached

She called, but didn't say a word. Mist be a ________.

pocket/butt dial

They're looking for someone to ____ ____ _____ at. They need someone to blame.

point a finger

Late night comedy shows often ____ _____ at politicians.

poke fun

She's one of those movie stars who _____ _________ everywhere, on TV, in magazines, on Broadway.

pops up

She's got very good/bad ______.

posture

______ ____ the text after you finish your listening task.

proceed to

It was the song's opening line, a series of ________, that caused the record to be banned on the radio station.

profanities

The review that I read said that it was "a thoughtful and _______ film".

profound

He was ____ ___ depression even as a teenager.

prone to

The war was followed by a long period of peace and _________.

prosperity

The collapse was not predicted by any of the financial ______.

pundits

He needs to be ____ ___ ___ ______ _______. This is the only way for him to try something new.

pushed out of comfort zone

Also, the river smells like _____ cod.

rancid

Supported by bank loans, several manufacturing companies in the area invested heavily in _____.

real estate

The country is sliding into the depths of a _______.

recession

He was nervous about _______ in front of the class.

reciting

She took the baby's temperature with a ____ thermometer.

rectal

I always _____ a challenge.

relish

Researchers tried many times to ________ the original experiment.

replicate

His boss gave him a severe ______ for being late.

reprimand

Officials are focusing on job creation, not job _______.

retention

My son broke a ____ when he fell off a ladder.

rib

He's very sick and needs ___________ care.

round-the-clock

His enthusiasm is starting to _____ _____ on the rest of us.

rub off

I had a _____ with the boss/the law/the police yesterday.

run-in

After school he ______ _______ for his father.

runs errands

Years of being left out in the rain had _______ the metal chairs.

rusted

The property has a certain _____ charm.

rustic

Uluru is a ______ rock for some ancient tribes.

sacred

The captain was made a ________ for the team's failure.

scapegoat

His mother _______ him for breaking her favorite vase.

scolded

I will never _______ you _____! We are best friends.

screw over

His actions will be subjected to _______ before his election.

scrutiny

People who organize dog fights are _____ in my opinion!

scum

There will have to be a ____ ________ in people's attitudes if public transport is ever to replace the private car.

sea change

The glass _______ into a thousand tiny pieces.

shattered

The furniture is _______ and cheap.

shoddy

We use an ASAS, a ________ for The Automatic Sorting Analysis System.

shorthand

Jimena's such a _______, she always wants to be the centre of attention.

show-off

Your sweater will ______ if you wash it at too high a temperature.

shrink

Leave the vegetables to _____ for a few minutes.

simmer

Housing prices have ________ in recent months. It is connected with high demand.

skyrocketed

Housing prices have _________ in recent months.

skyrocketed

Thousands of people were __________ in the civil war.

slaughtered

Savino has been charged with three murders as well as a whole __ ____ other crimes.

slew of

He's been comming home late every night this week - I ____ ___ ______!

smell a rat

Don't _____ ____ _________ that fast.

snap to assumptions

He ________ to my boss that I'd been making long-distance calls at work!

snitch

The children _______ up to their mother to get warm.

snuggle (up)

I hadn't slept for two days and was completely ______ _____.

spaced out

The lower part of her _____ was crushed in the accident.

spine

The mice in the cupboard ________.

squeaked

Cut the lemon in half and _______ the juice into the bowl.

squeeze

He was fatally ______ with a kitchen knife.

stabbed

I used to like that sitcom, but it's getting kind of _____.

stale

______ the sauce gently until it begins to boil.

stir

_____ the chicken for one minute, then add the vegetables.

stir-fry

The little boy was ________ his foot and refusing to take his medicine.

stomping

She attributes her record-breaking speed to the length of her _____.

stride

The most _____laws in the world are useless unless there is the will to enforce them

stringent

Our boss' mistake has ______ the companies yearly plan.

stunted

The leader was interviewed in front of a factory to give the ______ message that he was a man of the people.

subliminal

I prefer ________, natural make-up.

subtle

All the _______ of the music are conveyed in this new recording.

subtleties

He winked ____________. But she didn't like it.

suggestively

This type of company _____ _____ and forms a new business strategy in order to compete.

switch things up

The losing team went off with their_____ ____ ___ _______.

tails between their legs

Let's _____ our relationship _________.

take slow

Why don't you ____ __ ____ ___ ___ _______ and divorce your husband?

take the bull by the horns

Her parents tried to ____ her ____ of getting engaged.

talk out

He______me!

taunts

He always does what the teacher says. Such a _______ ______.

teacher's pet

The illness proved to be ______.

terminal

The car handles particularly well on rough _______.

terrain

You deceived everyone into thinking that you are our supporter. But ___ ____ ___ __ ___, right?

this is not the case

My dog is a little _______ - especially around other dogs.

timid

______ glasses are good for driving in bright sunlight.

tinted

____ ___ ____ _______, the game was called off.

to our great disappointment

It _________ me all day - had I said the wrong thing and hurt her feelings?

tormented

Everyone trusted her, so she was invited to become a _____ for her local wildlife charity.

trustee

I _____ _______ this job because the salary was too low.

turned down

Having the baby was a ______ ______ in their lives.

turning point

It was ________ for an unmarried couple to live together.

unheard-of

Homemade food is usually delicious and __________.

unpretentious

As a result, the Organization has an ______ experience in this field.

unrivalled

He _______ his doubts about marrying her.

voiced

The little dog's tail ______ in delight.

wagged

The goods have been sitting in a ______ for months because a strike has prevented distribution.

warehouse

The Countryside Commission was set up as the government's official _____ on conservation.

watchdog

I've told him that he's heading for trouble, but he doesn't listen - it's just ____ ____ ___ ___ ______.

water off a duck's back

He's under huge pressure at work and it's really ______ ____ him.

weighing on

Your taxes pay for ___ benefits such as unemployment and sickness pay.

welfare

You can buy snacks and ______ at the bar.

whatnot

As you've seen, the terrible North Korean biochemical disaster... unleashed a _____ ____ of new diseases.

whole host

I like whiskey ____ ___ _____ of wood and cumin.

with the hint

Police are ________ the dead woman's name until her relatives have been informed.

withholding

The baby took a few _____ steps towards me.

wobbly

You can ___ ___ ___ ____ and still not make ends meet.

work like a dog

Our neighbors were ________ at each other this morning.

yelling

___ ____ _____ ____ at work and at life. How come you are so successful?

you are killing it!

This style os not for me, but you know, ___ ___ _______.

you do you