Fill in the blanks with an appropriate phrasal verb.
1They held a press conference last week to ............... support for their proposal.
Wrong!
Use "drum up" to mean try to get support, interest, or business.
2The deal ............... at the last minute for reasons that were not clear.
Wrong!
Use "fell through" to mean failed or did not happen as planned.
3He ............... the channels hoping to find something interesting.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "flipped through" and "flicked through" can mean changed channels quickly to look for something.
4It is not uncommon for people to ............... alternative medicine when modern drugs do not work.
Wrong!
Use "fall back on" to mean turn to something for help when other choices fail.
5The word ............... that she was having an affair with her boss.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "got about" and "got around" can mean spread from person to person as news or gossip.
6He is not a bright student, and he does not do well in his tests. He just manages to ............... .
Wrong!
Use "get by" to mean manage with difficulty.
7The meat smells awful. It must have ............... .
Wrong!
Use "gone off" to mean become bad or no longer fresh.
8Legal battles are slow and expensive. In many cases, the appeals process ............... for years.
Wrong!
Use "drags on" to mean continues for too long.
9She was tired and ............... while watching TV.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "dozed off" and "dropped off" can mean fell asleep, especially unintentionally.
10Human rights activists have been asking the government to ............... the death penalty.
Wrong!
Use "do away with" to mean abolish or get rid of something.
11I think it was the lack of sleep more than the drinks that really ............... .
Wrong!
Use "did me in" to mean made me extremely tired or exhausted.
12His marriage ............... when his wife discovered that he had been cheating on her.
Wrong!
Use "fell apart" to mean failed or stopped working as a relationship.
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- They held a press conference last week to drum up support for their proposal.
- The deal fell through at the last minute for reasons that were not clear.
- He flipped through / flicked through the channels hoping to find something interesting.
- It is not uncommon for people to fall back on alternative medicine when modern drugs do not work.
- The word got about / got around that she was having an affair with her boss.
- He is not a bright student, and he does not do well in his tests. He just manages to get by .
- The meat smells awful. It must have gone off .
- Legal battles are slow and expensive. In many cases, the appeals process drags on for years.
- She was tired and dozed off / dropped off while watching TV.
- Human rights activists have been asking the government to do away with the death penalty.
- I think it was the lack of sleep more than the drinks that really did me in .
- His marriage fell apart when his wife discovered that he had been cheating on her.

