Unit 8: I Can Talk About Families

Exercise 1 – Match

1. flesh and blood
2. close ranks
3. turn on
4. miserable as sin
5. account for
6. get away with murder
7. leave out
8. back up

a explain b support c relatives d attack suddenly e exclude f very unhappy g unite defensively h do anything without punishment

Exercise 2 – Complete the Idiom

1. fight like cat and ____
2. close ____
3. turn ____ someone
4. on top ____ each other
5. result ____ problems
6. starved ____ attention
7. left ____
8. backed ____

Exercise 3 – Replace the Words

1. family members
2. explain
3. very unhappy
4. suddenly attacked
5. not included
6. admire too much
7. support
8. make a special effort

Exercise 4 – True or False

1. Close ranks means separate from each other.
2. Turn on can mean attack unexpectedly.
3. Get away with murder is literal.
4. Lavish means give a lot.
5. Result in expresses consequence.
6. Leave out means include.
7. Take for granted means fail to appreciate.
8. Squeeze out can mean exclude.

Exercise 5 – Sentence Building

1. flesh and blood
2. close ranks
3. account for
4. take for granted
5. put on a pedestal
6. distance yourself from
7. lavish on
8. result in

Exercise 6 – Discussion Prompts

1. Do siblings often fight?
2. Why do families close ranks?
3. Can parents treat children differently?
4. What results from favoritism?
5. Have you felt left out?
6. Can praise be excessive?
7. Why do people take relatives for granted?
8. What makes families strong?

Unit 8 Practice

Use the target idioms and phrasal verbs accurately. Pay attention to prepositions and collocations.

Exercise 1 – Gap Fill

1. They’re my own ______ and blood.
2. The sisters fight like cat and ______.
3. The family closed ______ after criticism.
4. He turned ______ me.
5. We live on top ______ each other.
6. She is miserable ______ sin.
7. How do you account ______ that?
8. I take them for ______.

Exercise 2 – Multiple Choice

1. close ranks = a) unite b) travel
2. leave out = a) exclude b) reward
3. back up = a) oppose b) support
4. lavish on = a) give generously b) hide
5. squeeze out = a) include b) push aside
6. distance yourself from = a) detach b) praise
7. put on a pedestal = a) criticize b) admire excessively
8. result in = a) cause b) prevent

Exercise 3 – Error Correction

1. fight like cat and cats
2. result on problems
3. left of attention
4. backed me down
5. close rank
6. lavish attention at him
7. distance yourself on it
8. put her in a pedestal

Exercise 4 – Choose the Best Idiom

1. unhappy after breakup
2. relatives
3. sudden attack
4. excluded child
5. over-admired child
6. family unity under criticism
7. not appreciating parents
8. explaining a situation

Exercise 5 – Short Answers

1. Who is your flesh and blood?
2. Why do siblings argue?
3. When should families close ranks?
4. Can praise be harmful?
5. What may result in conflict?
6. Why do people feel left out?
7. How can parents back children up?
8. How can attention be lavished fairly?

Exercise 6 – Transform the Sentence

1. They excluded him.
2. She supports me.
3. He admires her too much.
4. The situation caused problems.
5. I am detached from the group.
6. They appreciate nobody.
7. She receives too much freedom.
8. We live extremely close together.

Unit 8 Extended Practice

Consolidate your knowledge by using the expressions in realistic contexts.

Exercise 1 – Reading Response

1. Why might siblings fight?
2. What does close ranks suggest?
3. Why can outsiders be criticized?
4. What causes people to feel left out?
5. How can support help?
6. What happens when attention is unequal?
7. Can distance improve relationships?
8. What role does appreciation play?

Exercise 2 – Synonyms

1. relatives
2. explain
3. support
4. exclude
5. admire excessively
6. cause
7. detach
8. unhappy

Exercise 3 – Collocation Builder

1. _____ ranks
2. _____ point of
3. _____ away with murder
4. _____ on a pedestal
5. _____ of attention
6. _____ yourself from
7. _____ up
8. _____ in

Exercise 4 – Scenario Writing

1. family argument
2. middle child
3. outsider criticism
4. sibling rivalry
5. family support
6. being left out
7. being praised too much
8. making peace

Exercise 5 – Choose the Correct Expression

1. close ranks / cry wolf
2. flesh and blood / cold feet
3. back up / break down
4. leave out / hand out
5. lavish on / cut off
6. result in / result from (cause meaning)
7. take for granted / take off
8. fight like cat and dog / hit the books

Exercise 6 – Personal Reflection

1. Describe a supportive relative.
2. When have people backed you up?
3. Have you ever felt squeezed out?
4. Who do you appreciate most?
5. What family value matters most?
6. How can conflict be reduced?
7. Should parents treat children equally?
8. What have you learned from family life?