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John Millen

'You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist' Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)
Hand-picked
 What is ...?
 1 a dab hand
 a. someone who is very good at doing a particular thing
 b. a hand that is covered in dirt
 2 an old hand
 a. a person who has been at their job for too long 
 b. someone who is very experienced at doing something
 3 sleight of hand
 a. skilful hiding of the truth when you want to gain an advantage
 b. always telling the truth even though it causes problems
 4 the upper hand
 a. having more control than anyone else in a situation
 b. a feeling of complete dejection
 5 a firm hand
 a. strong discipline
 b. a strong handshake
 6 the matter in hand
 a. an object you are holding 
 b. the thing that is important at the present moment
 Which hand?
 Complete the sentences
 1 My dad is a (matter in hand / dab hand) at mending motorbikes.
 2 Can you please concentrate on the (upper hand / matter in hand)?
 3 I hear you're (an old hand / a firm hand) at baking bread.
 4 I had to argue a lot before I got (the upper hand / the matter in hand) in the business deal.
 5 Don't trust him. He will use any (sleight of hand / firm hand) he can to get what he wants.
 Hand it over!
 Choose the correct meanings of the following useful phrases.
 1 to hand something over
 a. to give something to someone else
 b. to hide a small item in your hands
 2 to hand in your notice
 a. to search online for a new job 
 b. to tell your employer that you intend to leave your job
 3 to go cap in hand to someone
 a. to ask someone in a very polite way for something, especially money or forgiveness  
 b. to get your hair wet in a rainstorm
 4 to have someone eating out of the palm of your hand
 a. to easily make someone do or think what you want
 b. to refuse to do something that a friend asks you to do
 5 to be hand in glove with someone 
 a. to ask someone to do something that you would never do yourself
 b. to be very close to someone and to agree over everything you both do 
 Useful phrases
 Match these phrases with their meaning. There are more meanings than you need.
 1 Don't bite the hand that feeds you!
 2 I know him like the back of my hand.
 3 I could do that with my hands tied behind my back.
 4 I could count the number of times he's paid for dinner on the fingers of one hand.
 a. I know him very well.
 b. I don't know how to do that.
 c. He pays for dinner every time we go out.
 d. I have only met him once before.
 e. He very seldom pays for dinner when we go out.
 f. I could do that very easily.
 g. Don't act badly towards the person who is helping you.
 Answers:
Hand-picked: 1. a, 2. b, 3. a, 4. a, 5. a, 6. b
Which hand?: 1. dab hand, 2. matter in hand,  3. an old hand, 4. the upper hand, sleight of hand
Hand it over!: 1. a, 2. b, 3. a, 4. a, 5. b



Give me a hand