WREN & MARTIN's English grammar-10 MCQs on the Usage of "Once in a Blue Moon" and "Kill Two Birds with One Stone"
10 MCQs on the Usage of "Once in a Blue Moon" and "Kill Two Birds with One Stone"
1. "She once in a blue moon visits her relatives who live in the remote countryside far from the city." — What does "once in a blue moon" mean in this sentence?
- A) To visit someone only during the full moon each month
- B) To do something very rarely or extremely infrequently
- C) To visit someone regularly on a fixed schedule every month
- D) To travel long distances only during favourable weather conditions
Answer: B) To do something very rarely or extremely infrequently ("Once in a blue moon" is an idiom meaning very rarely or almost never — it is used to describe an event or action that happens so infrequently that it is considered unusual or exceptional when it does occur.)
2. "By attending the networking event, she managed to kill two birds with one stone — she met potential clients and reconnected with old colleagues." — What does "kill two birds with one stone" mean here?
- A) To cause harm to two different people with a single action
- B) To accomplish two different goals with a single action or effort
- C) To focus all one's energy on achieving only one important goal
- D) To solve one problem while creating another equally difficult one
Answer: B) To accomplish two different goals with a single action or effort ("Kill two birds with one stone" is an idiom meaning to achieve two objectives simultaneously with a single action — it is used when one effort or activity produces two desirable results at the same time.)
3. "He once in a blue moon reads a book from cover to cover as he rarely finds the time to sit and read." — What is the grammatical function of "once in a blue moon" in this sentence?
- A) It functions as a noun phrase
- B) It functions as an adjective phrase
- C) It functions as a verb phrase
- D) It functions as an adverbial phrase
Answer: D) It functions as an adverbial phrase ("Once in a blue moon" functions as an adverbial phrase of frequency modifying the verb "reads" — it describes how often or how rarely the action of reading a book from cover to cover takes place.)
4. "She decided to kill two birds with one stone by combining her morning exercise routine with her daily commute to the office." — What is the grammatical function of "kill two birds with one stone" in this sentence?
- A) It functions as a noun phrase
- B) It functions as an adjective phrase
- C) It functions as an adverb phrase
- D) It functions as a verb phrase
Answer: D) It functions as a verb phrase ("Kill two birds with one stone" functions as the main verb phrase of the infinitive clause "to kill two birds with one stone" — it describes the dual purpose behind her decision to combine her exercise routine with her daily commute.)
5. "It is once in a blue moon that such a talented and dedicated student comes along to inspire an entire generation." — Which of the following best explains why "once in a blue moon" is used here?
- A) Because such a talented student appears regularly and predictably every year
- B) Because the arrival of such an exceptional student is an extraordinarily rare occurrence
- C) Because talented students are commonly found in every school across the country
- D) Because the student only shows dedication during specific times of the academic year
Answer: B) Because the arrival of such an exceptional student is an extraordinarily rare occurrence ("Once in a blue moon" is used here to emphasise how extraordinarily rare it is for such an exceptional student to come along — the idiom always conveys the idea that an event or occurrence happens so seldom that it stands out as truly remarkable and unusual when it does take place.)
6. "The manager realised she could kill two birds with one stone by scheduling the training session and the team meeting on the same afternoon." — Which of the following is the closest in meaning to "kill two birds with one stone"?
- A) To focus exclusively on one task while ignoring all others completely
- B) To accomplish two aims simultaneously with a single effort
- C) To create two separate problems while trying to solve one
- D) To spend twice the amount of time and effort to achieve a single goal
Answer: B) To accomplish two aims simultaneously with a single effort ("To accomplish two aims simultaneously with a single effort" is the closest in meaning to "kill two birds with one stone" — both expressions describe the efficient achievement of two separate objectives through a single action or decision without requiring additional time or effort.)
7. "Which of the following sentences uses once in a blue moon correctly?"
- A) She once in a blue moon visits her parents every single weekend without fail.
- B) He once in a blue moon checks his email as he does it several times a day.
- C) They once in a blue moon take a holiday abroad as they can rarely afford both the time and the expense.
- D) The team once in a blue moon meets for their regular weekly briefing every Monday morning.
Answer: C) They once in a blue moon take a holiday abroad as they can rarely afford both the time and the expense. ("Once in a blue moon" is correctly used here because taking a holiday abroad is described as a rare event due to financial and time constraints — the idiom must always describe something that happens very infrequently and cannot be used to describe regular habitual or frequent activities.)
8. "He decided to kill two birds with one stone by visiting his doctor and collecting his prescription from the nearby pharmacy in a single trip." — Which of the following situations would most appropriately call for "killing two birds with one stone"?
- A) A person who spends an entire day completing a single straightforward task
- B) A student who studies two different subjects simultaneously to prepare for both examinations
- C) A worker who takes twice as long as necessary to complete a routine assignment
- D) A person who attempts a difficult task but fails to achieve even one of their goals
Answer: B) A student who studies two different subjects simultaneously to prepare for both examinations ("Kill two birds with one stone" is most appropriately used when a single effort or action produces two desirable results — a student studying two subjects at the same time to prepare for both examinations perfectly illustrates the simultaneous achievement of two objectives through one concentrated effort.)
9. "It is once in a blue moon that the entire extended family manages to gather together under one roof for a celebration." — Which of the following is the closest in meaning to "once in a blue moon"?
- A) On a regular and predictable basis throughout the year
- B) Every other week without any significant interruption
- C) Only on very rare and exceptional occasions
- D) Frequently and consistently without much effort
Answer: C) Only on very rare and exceptional occasions ("Only on very rare and exceptional occasions" is the closest in meaning to "once in a blue moon" — both expressions convey the idea that something happens so seldom that it is considered a noteworthy and unusual event whenever it does actually take place.)
10. "Which of the following sentences uses the idiom kill two birds with one stone incorrectly?"
- A) She killed two birds with one stone by grocery shopping and visiting her friend who lived near the supermarket.
- B) He killed two birds with one stone by learning a new language while listening to podcasts during his daily commute.
- C) They killed two birds with one stone by spending twice the effort to achieve only one of their two intended goals.
- D) The teacher killed two birds with one stone by using a real life example that both explained the concept and entertained the class.
Answer: C) They killed two birds with one stone by spending twice the effort to achieve only one of their two intended goals. ("Kill two birds with one stone" specifically means to achieve two goals with a single effort — using it to describe a situation where twice the effort is spent to achieve only one goal directly contradicts the core meaning of the idiom and makes the sentence both logically and idiomatically incorrect.)
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