This exercise tests your understanding of color idioms in English. Fill in the blanks.
1. Yesterday’s ……………………. was due to unexpected problems with electricity production.
Black out: loss of electricity; complete darkening of a room when lights are put out; sudden loss of memory
2. Susie will go ……………………….. with envy when she sees your new car.
To go green with envy is to be very jealous of objects belonging to other people.
3. He is not the kind of guy you can depend on when you are in trouble. He’s ……………………..
Be yellow means be a coward.
4. A lot of people want to adopt babies. It is the ……………………….. tape that discourages them.
Red tape = delay in public affairs because there is too much attention to rules.
5. James was neither brilliant nor hardworking. His Dad always treated him like a ………………………….. sheep.
Black sheep = person of bad character
6. Mr. Mathews is going to take over as the next chairman. Be sure to roll out the ………………………….. carpet when he arrives.
Roll out the red carpet = Give the best treatment
7. They have just purchased a new home in the ………………………… belt.
Green belt = the countryside around a city
8. The situation is not as ……………………….. as you think.
Black and white = When something is black and white, it is clear, simple and understandable.
9. I’m feeling rather …………………………… these days. Have you got something to cheer me up?
To feel blue is to be depressed.
10. He had to tell a ……………………………. lie to escape his mother’s punishment.
White lie = A small insignificant lie.
11. The civil authority has given the ………………………… light to the project.
Give the green light = To give the green light is to approve a project.
Answers
1. Yesterday’s black out was due to unexpected problems with electricity production.
2. Susie will go green with envy when she sees your new car.
3. He is not the kind of guy you can depend on when you are in trouble. He’s yellow.
4. A lot of people want to adopt babies. It is the red tape that discourages them.
5. James was neither brilliant nor hardworking. His Dad always treated him like a black sheep.
6. Mr. Mathews is going to take over as the next chairman. Be sure to roll out the red carpet when he arrives.
7. They have just purchased a new home in the green belt.
8. The situation is not as black and white as you think.
9. I’m feeling rather blue these days. Have you got something to cheer me up?
10. He had to tell a white lie to escape his mother’s punishment.
11. The civil authority has given the green light to the project.
