Land and sea phrases B

1. [Multiple choice]

Kelly’s never been a very kind friend – but there are plenty more ………………….. .

Answers for Quiz [1].

• 1. waves in the sea
• 2. jellyfish in the sea
• 3. whales in the sea
• 4. fish in the sea (correct)

2. [Multiple choice]

Pam left the office finances in a dreadful state, and of course, I was ……………………………… the job of sorting it all out.

(‘to be landed with’ is informal and it conveys a sense of your having been given sth you didn’t want to do, or would not have chosen. Sometimes it is used for humour, ‘ I got landed with looking after the baby….’ ‘ Terry got landed with doing all the shopping….’)

Answers for Quiz [2].

• 1. landed with (correct)
• 2. sailing with
• 3. swimming with
• 4. walking with

3. [Multiple choice]

Once we’re there we’ll ask around and ………………..

(VB find out/see how the land lies = wait until you have more information about a situation before making decisions / taking any action
to fish for compliments is informal – it means you invite people to compliment or flatter you by the comments you make. Eg ‘Did you think I was really good?’ You may hear people telling someone to ‘stop fishing for compliments!’)

Answers for Quiz [3].

• 1. sail our boat
• 2. see how the land lies (correct)
• 3. see if we can see anything on the horizon
• 4. start fishing for compliments

4. [Multiple choice]

She’ll be alright on the ferry once she gets her ……..…… .

(A milk lake means a huge quantity of milk has been withdrawn from sale because the price for milk has dropped. It is kept until the price has risen, and then put back onto the market. Any liquid could be used in connection with a ‘lake’ if this same economic factor was / were involved.)

Answers for Quiz [4].

• 1. seawater aquarium
• 2. sea-legs (correct)
• 3. mountain goat
• 4. milk lake

5. [Multiple choice]

Thanks for ………………. with organising the office party – just what I need in the run-up to my holiday!

Answers for Quiz [5].

• 1. landed me
• 2. lands me
• 3. landing me (correct)
• 4. land me

6. [Multiple choice]

Jack’s gone home – he says he has a ………………….. of work to do before tomorrow.

(Sometimes ‘ocean’ is used in this sense, too, but here you would need ‘a’ to be ‘an’.)

Answers for Quiz [6].

• 1. mountain (correct)
• 2. ocean
• 3. sea
• 4. lake

7. [Multiple choice]

She’s really …………………… on her feet with this new job.

(There are plenty more fish in the sea – used to say that there are many other people or possibilities, especially when one person or thing has been unsuitable or unsuccessful. Here ‘find another friend who is kinder than Kelly was’.
land sb with sth phrasal verb – impose sth on someone which is rather inconvenient, and that (s)he would not have chosen to do.
Eg Somehow I got landed with doing all the catering for Jan’s party, and I’d intended to go away for that weekend.
find out/see how the land lies – wait until you have more information about a situation before making decisions / taking any action
Sealegs – Eg I haven’t got my sealegs yet = I haven’t yet adapted to being at sea, so am feeling unsteady on my feet, etc. or She’ll be alright once she gets her sealegs.
in the run-up to – just before
To have a mountain of sth – to have a large amount of sth
Eg He’s got a mountain of paperwork to catch up on.
to fall / land on your feet – to be successful or lucky, especially after a period of not having success or luck
to be rushed off your feet = informal – to be very busy indeed)

Answers for Quiz [7].

• 1. landed (correct)
• 2. been seasick
• 3. rushed
• 4. sailed away