THE FLATMATES Quiz: Jokes Vocabulary

THE FLATMATES Quiz: Jokes vocabulary

BBC Learning English – The Flatmates

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

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

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BBC Learning English – The Flatmates

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).

BBC Learning English – The Flatmates

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