Discovery Quiz – Lesson 13

I wanted to buy my mother a camera for her birthday, but my brother beat me to the punch – so now I’ll have to think of a different gift. If another person “beats you to the punch,” it means he…

The woman’s death appears to have been an accident. There’s no evidence of foul play. “Foul play” means…

We’re finally in the home stretch for the publication of our magazine – the articles have been written, the design is done, the first issue is printed, and now we’re just waiting for the mailing to go out. “The home stretch” means…

That college gives preference to applicants whose parents are graduates, so it’s not a level playing field. A “level playing field” is a situation in which…

I went through a difficult time after I lost all my money in my twenties – I even lived on the streets for a while. It wasn’t easy, but I learned to roll with the punches. To “roll with the punches” means…

Four months after his divorce, he married a woman he met at the gym on the rebound. “On the rebound” means…

Everyone had already agreed on the plan, but then the boss made a suggestion that was completely out of left field – and the meeting went on for another hour as we discussed it. If something is “out of left field,” it…

I’m eternally grateful to Barbara for going to bat for me when I was falsely accused of stealing from the company. If someone “goes to bat for” you, it means she…

I don’t know how Tiffany manages to keep track of all the details for 12 different projects – and still do everything so well. She’s really on the ball. If you say a person is “on the ball,” it means she is..

It’s not easy to do a double major in both biology and literature, but if you play your cards right, you can complete all the requirements in four years. If you “play your cards right,” it means you do something…

I promise to be polite to your friends, even though I don’t agree with their political views. But if they start making offensive or racist remarks, then all bets are off. “All bets are off” means…

When the economy is in bad shape, it’s hard for people with history or philosophy degrees to get good jobs. The deck is stacked against them. If “the deck is stacked against” you, it means…

I’m mad at my brother. I helped him out when he was struggling financially, but now that the tables are turned, he says I should be responsible and take care of myself. “The tables are turned” means…

There have been many efforts to eradicate indigenous culture over the centuries, but the native people have managed to preserve their traditions against the odds. If you achieve something “against the odds,” it means you do it…