IDIOM CONNECTION

Clothes Idioms and a Surprise Party

Introduction

Have you ever helped to organize a surprise birthday party for someone?

Reading

We are planning to have a surprise birthday party for our friend. I want to keep this plan under my hat and not tell him. So far, he does not know anything about the plan. Generally, he does not like parties because he prefers to hang out with his friends and listen to music. Still, we want to do something special for his birthday. I have a few ideas up my sleeve but I am not sure if we will be able to carry through with them. Usually, my friends say, “come on, let's go” when someone talks about a party. However, this time none of my friends want to roll up their sleeves and do anything to prepare for a party. We also do not have enough money for a good party. However, we may be able to pass the hat and collect some money quickly if we do decide to have one.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. What is she trying to keep under her hat?

2. So far, what does the friend not know about?

3. What does the friend prefer to do?

4. What does the woman have up her sleeve?

5. Will she be able to carry through with her ideas?

6. What do they need to roll up their sleeves and do?

7. What can they pass the hat and do?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the underlined idioms:

1. My friend wants to keep his plans under his hat.
a)   keep his plans simple
b)   keep his plans very short
c)   keep his plans secret

2. Nobody has applied for the job so far.
a)   today
b)   until later
c)   until now

3. The young man likes to hang out with his friends.
a)   spend time with
b)   hang the telephone up on
c)   argue with

4. Our teacher seems to have something up her sleeve.
a)   to plan her lessons in much detail
b)   to have a secret plan
c)   to have something on her sleeve

5. Our boss will probably not carry through with his plans to punish workers who are late.
a)   put into action
b)   stop
c)   discuss

6. “Come on, or we will be late for school.”
a)   Please hurry
b)   Please go over there
c)   Take your time

7. Would you roll up your sleeves if you had to do some work? What do you think that to roll up one's sleeves means in the following sentence?

Everybody rolled up their sleeves in order to prepare for the meeting.
a)   made no effort
b)   wore a nice shirt
c)   prepared to work hard

8. Do you think that someone could pass a hat around when they were collecting money for something? What would to pass the hat mean in the following sentence?

We passed the hat in order to have enough money for a wedding present for our boss.
a)   did nothing
b)   collected money
c)   bought some presents

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Match the Sentences

Choose the answer that best matches each sentence:

1. The girl will always keep a secret under her hat.
a) You can never trust her with a secret.
b) She never tells other people a secret.

2. So far, about twelve people have arrived.
a) Twelve people are there.
b) Twelve people may be there soon.

3. The children were hanging out in the playground.
a) The children were relaxing and playing in the playground.
b) The children were working hard in the playground.

4. The girl has something up her sleeve.
a) We do not know what the girl will do.
b) We know what the girl will do.

5. We were not able to carry through with our plan to move to a new apartment.
a) We will move to a new apartment soon.
b) We will not move to a new apartment.

6. “Come on, or the movie will start.”
a) “Okay, I'm ready.”
b) “Okay, we don't have to worry.”

7. The men rolled up their sleeves and did some work.
a) The men began to work hard.
b) The men never work hard.

8. The boys passed the hat to get some money for a new football.
a) The boys probably do not need a new football.
b) The boys will buy the football together.

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. I will try to keep the information _________________.
a)   over my hat
b)   under my hat
c)   under my hats

2. ___________________, the problem is not very serious.
a)   So fars
b)   So for
c)   So far

3. The girls like to _______________ at the coffee shop.
a)   hang out
b)   hang up
c)   hang by

4. My friend _____________________________. I do not know what it is.
a)   has something up his sleeves
b)   has something up his sleeve
c)   has something over his sleeve

5. The company will probably never _______________ with the plan to expand our department.
a)   carry through
b)   carry in
c)   carry to

6. The boy's mother was yelling “______________,” in order to make him leave for school.
a)   come on
b)   come over
c)   come in

7. The two men _______________________ and began to move the furniture.
a)  rolled over their sleeves
b)  rolled in their sleeves
c)  rolled up their sleeves

8. The students ____________________ in order to get money for the class party.
a)  passed hat
b)  passed hats
c)  passed the hat

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Have you ever had a secret that you wanted to keep under your hat?

2. Do you know anyone who cannot keep anything under his or her hat?

3. Have you learned much in any classes that you are taking so far?

4. What is the best movie that you have seen so far this year?

5. Where do you usually like to hang out on the weekend?

6. Who do you usually like to hang out with?

7. Do you have any plans up your sleeve to get a good job in the future?

8. Do you have anything up your sleeve at the moment?

9. Do you sometimes find it difficult to carry through with your plans?

10. Do you know anyone who will not carry through with his or her plans?

11. When was the last time that you rolled up your sleeves and worked hard?

12. Do you know anyone who will never roll up his or her sleeves when there is a job to do?

13. Have you ever passed the hat with your friends in order to get some money for something?

14. When was the last time that you passed the hat to collect some money for something?

Role Play

Student A: You want to have a birthday party for your friend and you have something up your sleeve that is sure to make the party a success. You want to keep the plans secret.

Student B: You do not really want to have a party for the friend. It is too much work and nobody has enough money.

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