Land and sea phrases C

1. [Multiple choice]

I don’t think Derek will be ………………………………. yet – they were up all night with the baby, apparently.

(be in the land of the living – humorous – to be awake or to be alive)

Answers for Quiz [1].

• 1. a drop in the ocean
• 2. in the Land of the Midnight Sun
• 3. in the land of the living (correct)
• 4. at sea

2. [Multiple choice]

He wasn’t nervous until he got up on stage – then all he could see was ……………….. bored faces.

(a sea of = a vast expanse of)

Answers for Quiz [2].

• 1. a land of
• 2. a river of
• 3. a sea of (correct)
• 4. a mountain of

3. [Multiple choice]

Sunderland fans are expecting their team to win the FA Cup – I think they’re all living …………………..

(never-never land – an imaginary place where everything is pleasant or perfect in a way that is impossible to achieve in reality.
a / the land of milk and honey – a country where living conditions are good and people have the opportunity to make a lot of money
no-man’s-land – neutral ground, an area or strip of land which no-one owns or controls such as a strip of land between two countries’ borders, especially in a war

)

Answers for Quiz [3].

• 1. in the land of milk and honey
• 2. at sea
• 3. in never-never land (correct)
• 4. in no-man’s land

4. [Multiple choice]

Oh, so you’re still ………………………………. ? I haven’t seen you for ages.

(be in the land of the living – humorous – to be awake or to be alive)

Answers for Quiz [4].

• 1. at sea
• 2. on the mountain
• 3. a drop in the ocean
• 4. in the land of the living (correct)

5. [Multiple choice]

I’ve been completely ………………. since we got the new boss.

(to be all/completely at sea = to be very confused or disorientated
to be six feet under = to be dead and buried, (under = under ground); an informal, jocular expression for being dead, similar to ‘pushing up daisies’.)

Answers for Quiz [5].

• 1. a drop in the ocean
• 2. at sea (correct)
• 3. in the land of the living
• 4. on land
• 5. six feet under

6. [Multiple choice]

We’re ……………….. – we don’t want to go private, but the state school’s so far away, and we’ve no car.

(be between the devil and the deep blue sea
to have two choices but both of them are equally unpleasant or inconvenient
to go private – shorthand for to opt for eg private medical treatment, or private schooling, as here
)

Answers for Quiz [6].

• 1. between the devil and the deep blue sea (correct)
• 2. like a drop in the ocean
• 3. in the mountains
• 4. like any other fish in the sea
• 5. in no-man’s-land

7. [Multiple choice]

Rob is talking of taking over a farm in Ireland – I think he’s just ……………….

(live/be in cloud-cuckoo-land disapproving be unrealistic and think that things which are completely impossible might happen
eg If you thought buying a house around here was going to be easy, then you’re in cloud-cuckoo-land.
)

Answers for Quiz [7].

• 1. in the Land of the Rising Sun
• 2. in the desert
• 3. on land
• 4. at sea
• 5. walking in the rain
• 6. in cloud-cuckoo-land (correct)
• 7. walking in the clouds

8. [Multiple choice]

I contributed what I could towards the cost of the wedding, but frankly it was just ……………………………….

(a drop in the ocean = a very small amount compared to the amount needed
eg The concert raised £50 for medical research – a drop in the ocean, really, but I suppose it all helps.
)

Answers for Quiz [8].

• 1. a little lake
• 2. a drop in the ocean (correct)
• 3. a mud-bath
• 4. the land of the midnight sun
• 5. no-man’s-land

9. [Multiple choice]

I never imagined she’d ……………….. living in Delhi!

(land up or end up – phrasal verb informal – be in a particular place, state or situation, especially without having planned it
Eg When he accepted the job in Glasgow he never expected to land up / end up living in the Highlands!
)

Answers for Quiz [9].

• 1. climb up
• 2. sail down
• 3. land up (correct)
• 4. hike up