Unit 24: Science and technology

Question 1

at the cutting edge

Answer 1

at the most recent stage of development in a work or activity

Question 2

hot off the press

Answer 2

having just been printed and containing the most recent information

Question 3

push the right buttons

Answer 3

do exactly what is necessary tomget the result you want

Question 4

be light years away from

Answer 4

be a long way from

Question 5

throw a spanner in the works

Answer 5

do sth that prevents a plan from succeeding

Question 6

it’s not rocket science

Answer 6

not very difficult to do

Question 7

reinvent the wheel

Answer 7

waste time creating sth that sb else has already done

Question 8

if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

Answer 8

said when you see that sth works well, and there is no reason to try to change it

Question 9

go haywire

Answer 9

stop working normally

Question 10

a cog in the machine

Answer 10

one part of a large organisation

Question 11

set the wheels in motion

Answer 11

do sth that will cause a series of actions to start

Question 12

oil the wheels

Answer 12

make it easier for sth to happen