To keep something under one's hat means to kepp a secret.

eg: " My boss has promised me a promotion, but it's not official yet, so keep it under your hat."

When faced with a difficult situation, it is sometimes necessary to take actions which in normal circumstances would appear extreme.

eg: "After Johnny's third accident, his father confiscated his car. Drastic times call for drastic measures!"
  

If you explore all avenues, you try out every possibility in order to obtain a result or find a solution.

eg: "We can't say it's impossible until we've explored all avenues."

If you tell someone to put their thinking cap on, you ask them to find an idea or solve a problem by thinking about it.

eg: "Now here's this week's quiz - it's time to put your thinking caps on!"

To describe someone's achievement as a feather in their cap means that it is something they can be proud of.

eg: "The overwhelming victory of the team was a feather in the cap for the new manager."

To die

This is a term you can use but its not very polite. Before you "Kick the Bucket" you might want to make sure you have done everything you dreamed of and you are at peace with your God!

Answers:1-nine, 2-sixes and sevens, 3-four, 4- nineteen, 5-one, 6-two, 7-one, 8-three, 9-five, 10-ten

Choose the equivalent or near-equivalent sentences.

1. You did it. You have to face the music. 2. Yes. You hit the nail on the head. 3. You two don't see eye to eye. 4. You have to learn it by heart. 5. You are an old hand at teaching. 6. That's great! You keep everything under your thumb. 7. You don't want to stick your neck out, do you?

a. You have to memorize it. b. You're experienced. c. You have control of the situation. d. You don't want to take the risk. e. You have to accept the consequences of you actions. f. You don't agree with each other. g. You're absolutely right.

answers: 1-e, 2-g, 3-f, 4-a, 5-b, 6-c, 7-d

If you rub shoulders with someone, you have an opportunity to meet and talk to a person who is wealthy, famous or distinguished.

Eg.) "In her job in public relations, she sometimes rubs shoulders with famous people."

Think about it.

Sometimes you have to make a decision but you are not sure so you have to, "KICK IT AROUND" or you might also say, "SLEEP ON IT."

Hyun Suk: Salem what do you think should we go to Paris?

Salem: Lets kick it around, I am not sure right now.

Hyun Suk: Ok I will sleep on it.

To go to the station or airport to say goodbye to someone who is leaving.

Dan: Hey Craig I am leaving in the morning.

Craig: Oh Ok well I will go to the airport to "see you off."

To have a strong and unpleasant smell.

Have you ever been some place and smelled a very bad odor? Perhaps the place you were at was near a sewer.

Bob: Hi Harvey whats wrong?

Harvey: Cant you smell that? It reeks of sewer smell.

1. Wow! It's raining cats and dogs today! I wish I'd brought my umbrella to school!
a. I forgot my umbrella today.
b. It's raining heavily.
c. Cats and dogs are falling from the sky.
 

2. When I told my mom I would be home around 2 am, she had a cow!
a. My mom bought a baby cow.
b. My mom is really strange.
c. My mom was really upset.
 

3.  Jean: How did you know it was my birthday today?
Susan: Oh, a little birdie told me!
a. Jean told Susan it was her birthday.
b. An unnamed person told Susan about Jean's birthday.
c. Susan told Jean it was her birthday.
 

4. Frank: Why didn't your brother ride the roller coaster with us?
Sam: Oh, he's such a scaredy cat! He won't get on any fast ride.
a. Sam's brother is afraid to ride the roller coaster.
b. Sam's brother is a cat.
c. Sam's brother didn't go to the roller coaster.
 

5.  When the telephone salesman told me I could buy some concert tickets for only $10.00 if I gave him my credit card number, it seemed a little fishy to me, so I hung up the phone.
a. I thought the telephone salesman smelled like a fish and I didn't like that.
b. I thought the phone salesman was a dangerous fish and he scared me.
c. I thought the phone salesman was dishonest and I felt suspicious of him.
 

6.  I never learned how to use a computer, so I lost my job to a new employee. It's a dog-eat-dog world.
a. Only the strong or the best survive.
b. Dogs are eating dogs at the office.
c. Dogs like to eat dogs for lunch.
 

answers: 1-b, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a, 5-c, 6-a

If something happens at the eleventh hour,  it happens when it is almost too late, or at the last possible moment.

"Our team won after they scored a goal at the eleventh hour."

The ins and outs of a situation means all the details or facts.
 "I know he was involved in a car accident, but I don't know the ins and outs of his injuries".

If something is referred to as icing on the cake, it is an extra benefit that makes a good situation even better.

eg.)
"Good news!  I get the job ... and the icing on the cake is that I get a company car too."

Lets get started, lets get things going.

Tired of waiting around? Ready to start or get something going? Then you might look at your partner or group members and say, "LETS GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD!"

Having to do with the environment

It seems these days everyone is talking about being "GREEN"

"Green collar job"

"Green company"

"Green car"

All these terms mean is that they are environmental in some way or another. For example a GREEN car might be a hybrid that burns less fossil fuel. A GREEN collar company would be a company that doesnt produce as much waste as other companies. So go GREEN people!

To concentrate on something.

What do you "FOCUS ON"? For most people its school or work. This is the main area that you put your time and energy into. 

Hacen: Bob what are you focused on in your life right now?

Bob: Right now I am having to focus on my job as I just took on a position with a new University.