4. Read the letter and match the idioms with following meanings.
Dear Giles,
I just hade to write and let you know that I got the job at the law firm I was telling you about.
The interview was a bit odd because the other cane date, Mr Dalziell-Smythe, and myself, were interviewed together and I must admit I felt a bit concerned when turned out that both he and the interviewer were 1) old boys from Eton. Mr D.S. was a terrible snob too, ant made it obvious that he thought I was 2) from the wrong side of the tracks as soon as I mentioned that was from Brixton. However, I needn't have worried as the 3) smart alec soon 4) put his foot in it when he told the interviewer that he thought the current legal system was old-fashioned and needed updating. The interviewer was clearly offended and responded by saying that being 5) of the old school he rather admired the traditional legal ways. This comment seemed to 6) put Mr D.S. in his place as he didn't say much after that.
I felt even better when I realised that Mr D.S. was 7) all at sea as far as canon law was concerned. Fortunately, I've been studying so hard that I 8) know the subject inside out, and I made sure that the interviewer knew that too!
The firm's head office called me this morning to tell me that I've been accepted and that they'd like me to go back tomorrow morning as they want me to 9) learn the ropes as soon as possible. I'll probably ask them to tell me a bit more about the firm too, as the interviewer barely had time to 10) scratch the surface last week.
I'll write again soon to let you know how I'm getting along.
Regards, Craig
a. to make sb understand/ admit they have done/ said sth unacceptable
b. confused
c. former student, espe¬cially from an all-boys private school
d. to examine a small part of a problem/subject
e. old-fashioned and conservative
f. to offend/upset/ embarrass others, usually by accident
g. from the poor/less respectable part of town
h. to know sth/sb very well
i. sb who thinks he/she is very clever
j. to become familiar with details/methods of a job/ profession/company, etc
In this context, the phrase "old boys from Eton" refers to individuals who attended Eton, an elite private school in England.
2) from the wrong side of the tracks - g. from the poor/less respectable part of town
This idiom means the person comes from a less affluent or socially disadvantaged background.
3) smart alec - i. sb who thinks he/she is very clever
A smart alec is someone who behaves in a cocky or know-it-all manner, often trying to show off their intelligence.
4) put his foot in it - f. to offend/upset/embarrass others, usually by accident
To put one's foot in it means to say or do something that unintentionally causes offense or embarrassment.
5) of the old school - e. old-fashioned and conservative
Being "of the old school" refers to someone who adheres to traditional and conservative principles or values.
6) put Mr D.S. in his place - a. to make sb understand/admit they have done/said sth unacceptable
This phrase means that someone has corrected or admonished Mr D.S., making him realize that his behavior or words were unacceptable.
7) all at sea - b. confused
To be all at sea means to be confused, unsure, or disoriented about something.
8) know the subject inside out - h. to know sth/sb very well
This expression means to have an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the subject, to be extremely knowledgeable about it.
9) learn the ropes - j. to become familiar with details/methods of a job/profession/company, etc
To learn the ropes means to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and procedures associated with a particular job or profession.
10) scratch the surface - d. to examine a small part of a problem/subject
To scratch the surface means to only begin to explore or understand something, usually covering only a small or shallow part of it.
I hope this detailed explanation helps you understand the idioms used in the letter.