Understanding Metaphors and Idioms

After running five miles in the summer heat, Josh said, "I feel like I’m melting!" What does this mean?

• He is actually turning into liquid

• He is very hot and tired

• He is getting sunburned

• He is excited

"That new math problem was a piece of cake!" What does this mean?

• It was easy

• It involved food

• It was delicious

• It was confusing

The detective’s eyes were sharp knives as he studied the suspect. What does this metaphor suggest?

• The detective had dangerous weapons

• The suspect was afraid

• The detective had poor eyesight

• The detective was very focused and observant

When she saw the huge stack of homework, Lisa groaned, "This is going to take forever." What does this mean?

• It will literally never end

• It will take a long time

• She is excited about it

• She will finish it quickly

"His explanation was as clear as mud." What does this simile mean?

• His explanation was confusing

• His explanation was very helpful

• His explanation was dirty

• His explanation was fun

"I have a million things to do today!" What does this mean?

• The speaker has exactly one million tasks

• The speaker has no tasks

• The speaker feels overwhelmed by a lot of tasks

• The speaker enjoys doing tasks

"The news hit him like a ton of bricks." What does this mean?

• He got hit by something heavy

• The news shocked and overwhelmed him

• He was excited

• He built something with bricks

"Her smile was a ray of sunshine." What does this metaphor mean?

• Her smile was very bright and warm

• Her smile was hot

• She was outside in the sun

• She had yellow teeth

"The little boy was glued to the TV." What does this mean?

• He was physically stuck to the screen

• He was watching with great attention

• He was fixing the TV

• He was playing with glue

"You need to think outside the box for this project." What does this mean?

• Stay inside

• Avoid answering the question

• Pack up your materials

• Be creative and think differently