Read this passage and
match the underlined words in sentences with
idioms.
The new Environment Minister,
Tony Lord, is proving himself to be (052._____)
someone with a different and totally new approach
in a department whose policies have proved stale and unconvincing
up to now. Yesterday, he (053._____) was asked a difficult
and rather confusing question by the environmental group
Earth SOS when he was challenged to respond to Earth SOS's latest
report which has (054._____) discovered the information
about the extent of the pollution in the River Flay.
Based on the evidence in the report, the previous Minister, Lord
Garter gave both the river and the large NFC Pharmaceuticals
factory, which is situated on the river, (055._____) an
official approval that everything was in a good
condition. Lord Garter reported that the environment
around the factory is now (056._____) completely free from
pollution and the water in the river is "safe enough to
drink".
Earth SOS's report shows that
pollution in and around the river is still far above the levels
permitted by law. The report refers to plantations of small trees
around the NFC factory burnt to a crisp by sulphur emission, and
pitch-black sediment at the bottom of the river which is the
product of industrial waste.
Tony Lord announced that
the Ministry would no longer (057._____) feign that they are
perturbed about the current climate situation and pretend
there was no problem with the River Flay and that he personally
would lead a new enquiry into pollution there. He invited Earth SOS
to take part. He said there was nothing to be gained by having his
Ministry and environmental groups constantly at loggerheads with
each other, and concluded by saying that everyone wants a cleaner
and safer environment in which to live.