686 proverbs 4

You can say this when somebody …
A) is driving too slowly in front of you
B) phones you to say [s]he won’t come
C) arrives
1. late

You can say this when …
A) you hear that a known politician partied
together with a mobster
B) you see a lot of pigeons flying by
C) an actor wins 5 Oscars for one movie

You can say this to point out that …
A) shouting during an argument does not
prove that you are right
B) people should donate to charities
C) your friend is always promising to visit
you, but never actually does

You can say this when …
A) a friend of yours buys Leonardo’s
Mona Lisa on eBay
B) you realize that you can’t pay your
bills this month
C) you finally quit your lousy job

You can say this when …
A) you want to impress firefighters with
how much you know about fires
B) you think a rumor you heard must be
true

C) your mom burns the toast

You can say this when …
A) you walk past a jeweller’s shop window
B) your friend wants to buy a nice but old car
C) your boss buys a silver ring to his girlfriend

You can say this when …
A) someone inherits a fortune
B) encourage your girlfriend/boyfriend not
to give up finding a job
C) you lost your way because you didn’t
have a GPS

You can say this to point out that …
A) knitting a scarf can save you 9 bucks
B) no matter how stressed you are,
doing a hobby can get you relaxed
C) if you mess up something, it’s better
to do something about it quickly

You can say this when …
A) a book becomes a New York Times
bestseller
B) you finished reading a boring book
C) you somebody criticizes your teacher
because of how he dresses

You can say this when …
A) you want your friend to explain

honestly why (s)he never phones you
B) you’re embarrassed that you forgot
your partner’s birthday
C) you are fed up with gardening


QUIZ SOLUTIONS
1. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
You can say this when somebody arrives late.

2. BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER
you hear that a known politician partied together with a mobster

3. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
You can say this to point out that your sibling is always promising to visit you, but never actually
does

4. A FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOON PARTED
You can say this when a friend of yours buys Leonardo’s Mona Lisa on eBay

5. THERE'S NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE
You can say this when you think a rumor you heard must be true your mom burns the toast

6. ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
You can say this when your friend wants to buy a nice but old car

7. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY
encourage your girlfriend/boyfriend not to give up finding a job

8. A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE

You can say this to point out that if you mess up something, it’s better to do something about it
quickly.

9. YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
You can say this when you somebody criticizes your teacher because of how he dresses

10. CALL A SPADE A SPADE
You want your friend to explain honestly why (s)he never phones you


Task 1. Match the pictures with the proverbs.

2.

Task 2. Match the proverbs
with their definitions.
1. If you fix a small problem right
away, it will not become a bigger
problem later.
2. What you do is more important
than what you say.
3. Do not be deceived by things or
offers that appear to be
attractive.
4. People of the same sort of
character or belief tend to
associate with each other.
5. People who aren't careful with
their money spend it quickly.
6. Rumors do not spread

unless there is some
element of truth in them.
7. Speak frankly and directly, often
about embarrassing
or unpleasant subjects.
8. To do something that is right or
good not in time is still better
than not doing it at all.
9. When a person really wants to do
something, he will find a way of
doing it.
10. You cannot decide what
something or someone is
like by looking at their
appearance.


PROVERBS SOLUTIONS
11. ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
Meaning: Do not be deceived by things or offers that appear to be attractive.
12. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY
Meaning: When a person really wants to do something, he will find a way of
doing it.
13. BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER
Meaning: People of the same sort of character or belief tend to associate with
each other.
14. CALL A SPADE A SPADE
Meaning: Speak frankly and directly, often about embarrassing or unpleasant
subjects.
15. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

Meaning: What you do is more important than what you say.
16. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Meaning: To do something that is right or good not in time is still better than
not doing it at all.
17. A FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOON PARTED
Meaning: People who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly.
18. YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
Meaning: You cannot decide what something or someone is like by looking at
their appearance.
19. A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE
Meaning: If you fix a small problem right away, it will not become a bigger
problem later.
20. THERE'S NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE
Meaning: Rumors do not spread unless there is some element of truth in them.


Can you answer with an appropriate proverb in the situations
below?
1.

A: You know me, when I see someone behaving like an idiot, I tell them.
B: Yeah, you always …………………………………………………………………

2.

A: I'm sorry I'm late to the party.
B: …………………………………………………………………, right?

3.

A: I always thought Amy was pretentious, and now she's going out with that
snobbish boy, Louis.
B: …………………………………………………………………

4.

A: Jane loves to lead an extravagant lifestyle. She loves the parties, the fancy
dresses, the posh restaurants and all that.
B: …………………………………………………………………, you know.

5.

A: Let's patch the roof before that hole gets bigger.
B: Right. …………………………………………………………………

6.

A: He claims that his wife’s accusations are baseless, and he never cheated on her.
B: Well, …………………………………………………………………, that's what I say.

7.

A: My husband keeps saying that he'll do his fair share of the housework.
B: Remember what they say? …………………………………………………………………

8.

A: Hollywood looks like an exciting place to live. I think I might move there.
B: I’m not sure that you would enjoy Hollywood as much as you think.
…………………………………………………………………

9.

A: She doesn't look very intelligent.
B: Come on, …………………………………………………………………

10.

A: This task can’t be finished by the agreed deadline.
B: …………………………………………………………………


ANSWER WITH A PROVERB
SOLUTIONS
A: You know me, when I see someone behaving like an idiot, I tell them.
B: Yeah, you always call a spade a spade.
A: I'm sorry I'm late to the party.
B: Better late than never, right?
A: I always thought Amy was pretentious, and now she's going out with that
snobbish boy, Louis.
B: Birds of a feather flock together.
A: Jane loves to lead an extravagant lifestyle. She loves the parties, the fancy
dresses, the posh restaurants and all that.
B: A fool and his money are soon parted, you know.
A: Let's patch the roof before that hole gets bigger.
B: Right. A stitch in time saves nine.
A: He claims that his wife’s accusations are baseless, and he never cheated on her.
B: Well, there's no smoke without fire, that's what I say.
A: My husband keeps saying that he'll do his fair share of the housework.
B: Remember what they say? Actions speak louder than words.

A: Hollywood looks like an exciting place to live. I think I might move there.
B: I’m not sure that you would enjoy Hollywood as much as you think. All that
glitters is not gold.
A: She doesn't look very intelligent.
B: Come on, you can't judge a book by its cover.
A: This task can’t be finished by the agreed deadline.
B: Where there's a will there's a way.