IDIOM CONNECTION

Dog Idioms and a School Problem

Introduction

1. Do you have a pet?

2. Have you ever had a dog as a pet?

Reading

The vice-principal thought that the school was going to the dogs. He wanted to discover the reason for this situation and he believed that one teacher was causing many of the problems. In effect, the vice-principal was the top dog in the school and he made most of the important decisions. However, the school board members believed that the principal was at fault for the bad situation in the school. Either the vice-principal or the school board members were barking up the wrong tree. At the next school board meeting the vice-principal made his feelings known about the teacher. He was dead wrong. An investigation found that the principal was the cause of the problems and the school board members had been right. The vice-principal had to go to the teacher with his tail between his legs and apologize.

Reading Questions

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

1. Who thought that the situation was going to the dogs?

2. In effect, who was the top dog in the school?

3. Who did the school board members think was at fault?

4. Who was barking up the wrong tree?

5. Who made his feelings known about the teacher?

6. Who was dead wrong?

7. Who went to the teacher with his tail between his legs?

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 following idioms:

1. to go to the dogs
a)   to change
b)   to become bad
c)   to stay the same

2. in effect
a)   to affect others
b)   basically
c)   probably

3. top dog
a)   a type of food
b)   the most important person in an organization
c)   a new employee

4. to be at fault
a)   to be unwilling to do something
b)   to be responsible for something
c)   to be innocent of doing something

5. Sometimes hunting dogs bark up a tree if the animal that they are chasing climbs the tree. Sometimes they are wrong and they bark up the wrong tree. What does to bark up the wrong tree mean in other situations?
a)   to have your tail between your legs
b)   to make a lot of noise
c)   to be wrong and accuse the wrong person of something

6. to make one's feelings known
a)   to try to do something
b)   to bark up the wrong tree
c)   to express one's feelings about something

7. to be dead wrong
a)   to not be wrong
b)   to be totally wrong
c)   to possibly be wrong

8. When you speak angrily to a dog, it will put its tail between its legs because it feels humiliated. What would having one's tail between one's legs mean for people?
a)   one has a feeling of being humiliated or wrong
b)   one has a feeling of happiness
c)   one does not know what to do

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct idiom for each of the underlined phrases:

1. Our company has many problems and seems to be deteriorating.
a)   dead wrong
b)   the top dog
c)   going to the dogs

2. The man is basically the most important person in his company.
a)   having no effect to be
b)   in effect
c)   dead wrong to be

3. The new coach is the most important person on the team.
a)   dead wrong
b)   going to the dogs
c)   the top dog

4. The fire department said that nobody is responsible for the fire.
a)   in effect
b)   barking up the wrong tree
c)   at fault

5. The school principal was mistaken when he thought that the boy had broken the computer.
a)   barking up the wrong tree
b)   leaving with his tail between his legs
c)   at fault

6. My friend clearly expressed her feelings about her new work schedule.
a)   does not want to talk
b)   made her feelings known
c)   feels much stress

7. My friend is totally wrong about the computer problem.
a)  right
b)  a dead weight
c)  dead wrong

8. The boy left the classroom with a feeling of humiliation when the teacher discovered that he had been cheating.
a)  with his tail between his legs
b)  without making his feelings known
c)  not feeling too bad

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Grammar Focus

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

1. Things in my neighborhood are going _________________ the dogs.
a)   in
b)   to
c)   for

2. __________________ effect, there are three reasons why the project will not work.
a)   On
b)   In
c)   Of

3. Our manager is the __________________ dog in our company.
a)   top
b)   tops
c)   topped

4. The woman was _______________ fault for the accident.
a)   in
b)   at
c)   to

5. The supervisor is barking _________________ the wrong tree in his search for the person who broke the printer.
a)   up
b)   over
c)   down

6. The saleswoman made her feelings _________________ to the rude customer.
a)   know
b)   knew
c)   known

7. The man was _________________ wrong about the new manager.
a)  died
b)  dead
c)  dying

8. The man was forced to leave his company with his tail _________________ his legs.
a)  over
b)  under
c)  between

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Do you think that the economy is going to the dogs?

2. Do you know any neighborhood that is going to the dogs?

3. Who are the top dogs in your company or school?

4. Do you know the top dogs of any company?

5. Have you ever been at fault in an accident?

6. Have you ever seen a car accident and you knew exactly who was at fault?

7. Do you know of any crime where the police were barking up the wrong tree?

8. Have you ever barked up the wrong tree when you thought that someone did something wrong?

9. Is it easy for you to make your feelings known to someone who you like?

10. Do you know someone who is often dead wrong about most things?

11. Have you recently been dead wrong about something?

12. Do you know anyone who is usually dead wrong about most things?

13. Have you ever had to leave someplace with your tail between your legs?

14. Do you know anyone who was forced to leave his or her job with their tail between their legs?

Role Play

Student A: You believe that your coworker is causing many problems in your company. The situation around you is going to the dogs. You are making your feelings known to your co-worker.

Student B: You are not at fault and you know that your coworker is barking up the wrong tree if he believes that you are the cause of the problems. You are angry that your coworker thinks that you are the cause of the problems.

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