The Flatmates – Quiz – Jokes language

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The Flatmates – Quiz – Jokes language


You can try the quiz online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/2009/05/090602_fm_199_quiz.shtml


For each of the six questions choose the correct answer.

1. Frank's parents take themselves very seriously so if you want to impress them, don't
try to ... any jokes when you meet them.
a. crack
b. break
c. smash
d. hit


2. The boss can joke about everyone else but no-one's allowed to make fun of the fact
that he's bald. He just can't ...
a. crack a joke
b. get the joke
c. take a joke
d. make a joke


3. Why did Pete get the sack? Well, one morning last week, the boss opened the door
and a bucket of water fell all over her. He thought she'd think the … was hilarious.
But she didn't.
a. double act
b. punchline
c. stand-up comic
d. practical joke


4. You just can't see his lips moving – even when he says "A bottle of beer". He's a
great ...
a. preamble
b. impressionist
c. ventriloquist
d. double act


5. He's never going to be a successful comedian. He's fine with the … but then he
always manages to mess up the ...
a. punchline / preamble
b. preamble / set-up
c. set-up / preamble
d. preamble / punchline


6. He started out as part of a ... with his wife. But then they split up and he did a ... on
his own for a few years.
a. double act / single
b. double act / stand-up
c. stand-up / double act
d. stand-up / punchline





THE FLATMATES
Quiz:
Jokes vocabulary










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The Flatmates – Quiz – Jokes language


Answers

For each of the six questions choose the correct answer.

1. Frank's parents take themselves very seriously so if you want to impress them, don't
try to ... any jokes when you meet them.
a. crack – Correct – This is one of the verbs we can use with 'joke'.
b. break – Wrong – You need a verb that's similar in meaning to this, but which you
can also use with 'joke'.
c. smash – Wrong – You need a verb that's similar in meaning to this, but which you
can also use with 'joke'.
d. hit – Wrong – You need a verb that's similar in meaning to this, but which you can
also use with 'joke'.


2. The boss can joke about everyone else but no-one's allowed to make fun of the fact
that he's bald. He just can't ...
a. crack a joke – Wrong – You need a different verb here which means the boss isn't
able to laugh when someone says something amusing about him and not be
offended.
b. get the joke – Wrong – You need a different verb here which means the boss isn't
able to laugh when someone says something amusing about him and not be
offended.
c. take a joke – Correct – This means the boss isn't able to laugh when
someone says something amusing about him and not be offended.
d. make a joke – Wrong – You need a different verb here which means the boss isn't
able to laugh when someone says something amusing about him and not be
offended.


3. Why did Pete get the sack? Well, one morning last week, the boss opened the door
and a bucket of water fell all over her. He thought she'd think the … was hilarious.
But she didn't.
a. double act – Wrong – This is the name for two people who work together in comedy.
The correct answer is a kind of joke that's physical (rather than one that's about
words).
b. punchline – Wrong – The correct answer is a kind of joke that's physical (rather than
one that's about words). The punchline of a joke is the funny part at the end of the
story you tell.
c. stand-up comic – Wrong – This is the name for someone who works on stage telling
jokes. The correct answer is a kind of joke that's physical (rather than one that's
about words).
d. practical joke – Correct – This means a kind of joke that's physical (rather
than one that's about words).

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4. You just can't see his lips moving – even when he says "A bottle of beer". He's a
great ...
a. preamble – Wrong – This is the first part of a joke. The correct answer is a type of
comedian.
b. impressionist – Wrong – The correct answer is another type of comedian.
c. ventriloquist – Correct – This is a comedian who works with a dummy and
pretends the dummy can speak (although it's actually the comedian who's
doing the talking).
d. double act – Wrong – This is a comedy act of two people. The correct answer is
another type of comedian, one who works by him/herself with a doll or dummy.


5. He's never going to be a successful comedian. He's fine with the … but then he
always manages to mess up the ...
a. punchline / preamble – Wrong – These answers are in the wrong order. One part of
the joke is the set up and the second part, at the end, is the funny part.
b. preamble / set-up – Wrong – Both these words mean the same thing. For the first
answer, you could use either word but for the second answer, you need a word that
means the funny part of the joke, at the end.
c. set-up / preamble – Wrong – Both these words mean the same thing. For the first
answer, you could use either word but for the second answer, you need a word that
means the funny part of the joke, at the end.
d. preamble / punchline – Correct – Both these answers are right.


6. He started out as part of a ... with his wife. But then they split up and he did a ... on
his own for a few years.
a. double act / single – Wrong – The first answer is correct but the second one isn't.
b. double act / stand-up – Correct – Both these answers are right.
c. stand-up / double act – Wrong – The answers are in the wrong order.
d. stand-up / punchline – Wrong – Your first answer should be the second answer and
the first answer is an expression which means two people who work together in
comedy.


Would you like to look at the language point that this quiz was based on? Go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/2009/05/090602_fm_199_lp.shtml


Or you can download the language point from:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode199/fm_languagepoint_090602.pdf


More quizzes on this topic:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode22/quiz.shtml