The document appears to be a collection of vocabulary questions and answers related to common English idioms and phrases. It does not provide a cohesive narrative or story that can be effectively summarized in 3 sentences or less.

1. 1. I thought this time things were going to be better. Losing the contract was
........ to swallow.
a. bottom line
b. blue collar
c. a bitter pill
d. back to the drawing board.
e. blow-by-blow
Answ er
2. We've lost the contract thanks to your incompetence. You really ........ ,
didn't you?
a. back to the drawing board.
b. bottlenecks
c. bottom line
d. blue collar
e. blew it
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3. I'd be better off stopping my legal job and doing jobs for cash. The ........ is
the only way to make money these days.
a. blow-by-blow
b. back to the drawing board.
c. bottlenecks
d. black economy
e. bottom line
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4. The product didn't work in the States. As they say there, it really ........ .
a. back to the drawing board.
b. bottlenecks
c. bombed
d. blow-by-blow
e. bottom line
Answ er
5. However, the same product sold really well in England. As they say there, it
........ .
a. back to the drawing board.
b. bottlenecks
c. bottom line
d. blue collar
e. went like a bomb

2. Answ er
6. He used to work on the factory floor. Yes, he really started out as a ........
worker.
a. blue collar
b. back to the drawing board.
c. bottlenecks
d. bottom line
e. blow-by-blow
Answ er
7. There are many reasons why this should be a success. However, the ........ is
that it has been a big flop.
a. bottom line
b. back to the drawing board.
c. bottlenecks
d. blow-by-blow
e. a bitter pill
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8. Production has been unable to keep pace with demand. We are doing our
best to eliminate the ........ .
a. blow-by-blow
b. back to the drawing board.
c. blew it
d. a bitter pill
e. bottlenecks
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9. We'll have to start again on this one -it's time to go ........ .
a. blow-by-blow
b. blew it
c. black economy
d. bombed
e. back to the drawing board.
Answ er
10.Don't leave out any details. I want a full ........ account of what happened in
the meeting.
a. blow-by-blow
b. blew it
c. black economy
d. bombed

3. e. went like a bomb
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1. At the start of the meeting everybody was very quiet and reserved but he
told a few jokes to ........
a. across the board
b. break the ice
c. broke the news
d. back to the drawing board
e. take on board
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2. He's not very quick on the uptake. it takes him quite a while to ........ new
ideas.
a. on to a good thing
b. take on board
c. bullish
d. breathing down
e. brief
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3. We're going to have to reduce budgets in every single department. There
will be ........ cuts.
a. back to the drawing board
b. brief
c. on to a good thing
d. brainstorm
e. across the board
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4. My boss never gives me any freedom. She's always ........ my neck.
a. broke the news
b. brief
c. breathing down
d. back to the drawing board
e. bullish
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5. We need a name for our new brand. The best thing is to get a few people
together and try to ........ a name.
a. brief
b. on to a good thing

4. c. broke the news
d. bullish
e. brainstorm
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6. I'm very happy with our sales prospects for the next year. I'm feeling really
........ .
a. bullish
b. back to the drawing board
c. broke the news
d. on to a good thing
e. brief
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7. We would have liked to have looked at that but that wasn't part of the ........
you set us.
a. brief
b. on to a good thing
c. back to the drawing board
d. breathing down
e. broke the news
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8. I've heard all about it. Sally ........ to me.
a. brainstorm
b. on to a good thing
c. back to the drawing board
d. breathing down
e. broke the news
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9. I'm well aware that this is potentially a good new product and that we are
probably ........ with it
a. on to a good thing
b. back to the drawing board
c. brainstorm
d. breathing down
e. across the board
Answ er
10.I guess this market study shows that nobody wants to buy our product. It's
........ for us.
a. back to the drawing board

5. b. brainstorm
c. breathing down
d. across the board
e. take on board
Answ er
1. I reckon we owe you about the same as you owe us. Why don't we just ........
?
a. call his bluff
b. called it a day
c. calls the shots
d. chicken
e. call it quits
Answ er
2. We've been working on this for forteen hours now. Isn't it time we ........ ?
a. called it a day
b. call it quits
c. calls the shots
d. chicken
e. call his bluff
Answ er
3. Let's face it, he decides. He's the boss so he's the one that ........ .
a. called it a day
b. calls the shots
c. call it quits
d. chicken
e. call his bluff
Answ er
4. He says he will go elsewhere if we don't lower our price but I don't think he
will. I think we should ........ .
a. call his bluff
b. call it quits
c. called it a day
d. calls the shots
e. chicken
Answ er
5. I'm sure that there is a lot of corruption in that country. If we order an
internal audit we may be opening ........ .

6. a. carry the can
b. chicken
c. can't win
d. chicken and egg
e. a can of worms
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6. Someone is going to have to take responsibility for this disaster. Who is
going to ........ .
a. can't win
b. carry the can
c. chicken
d. a can of worms
e. chicken and egg
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7. Whatever we do, we are going to come out badly. It's a ........ situation.
a. a can of worms
b. carry the can
c. chicken
d. can't win
e. chicken and egg
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8. She always like to think things through very carefully. She likes to ........ .
a. chicken and egg
b. chicken
c. chew things over
d. call his bluff
e. call it quits
Answ er
9. We need a loan to start the company and we need a company to get the loan.
It's a ........ situation.
a. calls the shots
b. chew things over
c. chicken
d. call his bluff
e. chicken and egg
Answ er
10.We wanted to expand into Asia but we were a bit frightened. We were soon
sorry for being so ........ .

7. a. chicken and egg
b. chicken
c. calls the shots
d. chew things over
e. call it quits
Answ er