UNIT 65
Proverbs and similes
A proverb is a common saying. It may be a famous quotation, a practical tip or the
result of bitter experience! Often people only say the first half of a proverb, and the
second half is understood. Proverbs are surprisingly frequent in everyday
conversation, so it is useful to be able to recognise and use them.
A Match these beginnings 1 Too many cooks A is another man’s poison.
and endings of proverbs, 2 One man’s meat B keeps the doctor away.
and then say what each
3 The early bird C calls the tune.
proverb means.
4 Don’t count your chickens D while the sun shines.
5 An apple a day E is worth two in the bush.
6 Marry in haste, F before they’re hatched.
7 He who pays the piper G catches the worm.
8 A bird in the hand H saves nine.
9 Make hay I repent at leisure.
10 A stitch in time J spoil the broth.
B Decide which of these
proverbs is suitable for A You can’t judge a book by its cover. B The more the merrier.
each situation. There is one C It never rains but it pours. D Every cloud has a silver lining.
more than you need. E Waste not, want not. F There are plenty more fish in the sea.
1 You are trying to persuade your parents to invite a large number of
friends to your 21st birthday party.
2 You broke your leg skiing, but in your three months’ sick leave from
work you had time to teach yourself conversational Italian.
3 You are encouraging a friend to save water and not leave taps
running.
4 You are discussing a neighbour’s problems. Not only has the poor
woman lost her job, but now her eldest son has been sent to prison.
5 You are surprised to hear that Samantha at work, who looks so quiet
and shy, drives a red Porsche and is often seen at nightclubs.
U nit 65
C Choose the correct word to 1 Don’t look a gift horse in the _______ . (mouth/eyes/stable)
complete each proverb 2 A rolling_______ gathers no moss, (snowball/pin/stone)
3 Let sleeping_______ .lie. (cats/dogs/babies)
4 A little learning is a ________ thing, (dangerous/wonderful/useful)
5 _______ news is good news. (Some/Recent/No)
6 _______ was not built in a day. (Paris/Rome/London)
7 One swallow does not make a _______ . (summer/drink/nest)
8 A leopard cannot change h is_______ . (skin/spots/hide)
9 You can’t teach an old________ new tricks, (dog/peasant/monkey)
10 It’s no use crvine over spilt (blood/wine/milk)
D Match these beginnings 1 While the cat’s away, A shouldn’t throw stones.
and endings of proverbs, 2 People who live in glasshouses B ’twixt cup and lip.
and then say what each
3 There’s many a slip C that blows nobody any good.
proverb means.
4 It’s an ill wind D less speed.
5 Nothing venture, E flock together.
6 More haste, F without fire.
7 There’s no smoke G make light work.
8 It’s the last straw H nothing gain.
9 Birds of a feather I the mice will play.
10 Many hands J that breaks the camel’s back.
A simile is a comparison of two things, usually introduced by like or as, and is used
to emphasise or illustrate an idea.
E Match each of these healthy unflappable very pale tough well-behaved
adjectives or adjective hard of hearing extremely short-sighted crazy
phrases with one of the without shame obvious ancient defunct
twelve similes.
1 as cool as a cucumber _____ __
2 as good as gold ______________
3 as bold as brass _____________
4 as white as a sheet __________
5 as hard as nails _____________
6 as dead as a doornail _____ _
7 as blind as a bat ____________
8 as fit as a fiddle _____________
9 as deaf as a post _ _ _ _______
10 as mad as a hatter _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11 as plain as the nose on your face
12 as old as the hills ___________
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U n it 65
Form correct similes to out of water bull thin rock
two short planks
complete the sentences, bell red judge mule
using as or like, the word in
brackets, and a word or
phrase from the box. There 1 You won’t need another check-up for a while, Mr Ferguson. Your
is one more than you need. chest is ________________ . (sound)
2 She was so embarrassed! She went________________ . (beetroot)
3 Do you know, Andy barged right in without a by-your-leave! He’s just
. (china shop)
4 Mandy hasn’t got used to being a student again. She misses her job,
and hasn’t made any new friends yet. At the moment she feels
. (fish)
5 That lad doesn’t understand a thing you say to him. He must be
. (thick)
6 At least you don’t need to think about losing weight! You’re
________________ ! (rake)
7 I didn’t mind the police breathalysing me at all, because luckily I was
. (sober)
8 You simply cannot make her change her mind. Once she’s decided
something, that’s it. She’s ________________ . (stubborn)
Match the two halves of 1 The photographers clustered round A just like one of the
the sentences correctly. the actress family.
They all contain similes 2 They treated me very kindly, B like wildfire.
with like, some involving C like a ton of bricks.
3 He avoids family holidays
idiomatic usage.
4 In a very short time the rumour spread D like hot cakes.
5 Jeffs new board game is selling E like a drowned rat!
6 I’ve got absolutely soaked. I look F like the plague.
7 He can’t put a foot wrong, or Janet G like bees round a
comes down on him honeypot.
H Match each of these
similes with the A as brown as a berry B as pleased as Punch C as safe as houses
appropriate situation. D as large as life E as thick as thieves F as strong as an ox
G as quick as a flash H as like as two peas in a pod
I as light as a feather J as right as rain
1 being completely out of danger _____
2 being big and strong _____
3 feeling delighted _____
4 doing something extremely fast _____
5 being completely recovered after an illness ____
6 seeing two very similar-looking people _____
7 having a good suntan _____
8 seeing someone you thought was dead or missing
9 picking up something weighing very little _____
10 seeing two people co-operating closely ______
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