help with idioms and proverbs

[newteacher12]

Could anyone please help me with this exercise, Iam quite confused.

MATCH THE FOLLOWING
1. a wise man (a) wants a mark to shoot at
2. ignorance (b) cast their shadows before
3. many straws (c) is the mother of impudence
4. malice seldom (d) may bind an elephant
5. any excuse (e) turns chance into good fortune
6. coming events (f) come home to roost
7. curses like chickens (g) will serve a tyrant

 

[bhaisahab]

Could anyone please help me with this exercise, Iam quite confused.

MATCH THE FOLLOWING
1. a wise man (a) wants a mark to shoot at
2. ignorance (b) cast their shadows before
3. many straws (c) is the mother of impudence
4. malice seldom (d) may bind an elephant
5. any excuse (e) turns chance into good fortune
6. coming events (f) come home to roost
7. curses like chickens (g) will serve a tyrant

Where did you find this? These are not common idioms or proverbs.

 

[newteacher12]

It was in the 8th grade grammar textbook.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't think of a single idiom or proverb which starts with 1-7 or finishes with a-g. I have no idea where the book got those proverbs from but forget them. Ignore them. Throw the book away!

It sounds to me as if they are idioms or proverbs in another language which have been directly translated into English without any consideration as to whether or not they are actually English idioms or proverbs.

Was the book written by a native speaker? In fact, what is the name of textbook?

 

[bhaisahab]

After a bit of research, I found that "ignorance is the mother of impudence" is from 16th century English and is current in it's Urdu translation جہالت گُستاخی کی ماں ہے ۔

 

[SoothingDave]

"Curses like chickens may bind an elephant" sounds like a really bad fortune cookie. ;-)

"Chickens coming home to roost" is a common enough expression, but I'd never heard about "curses" associated with it.

 

[Grumpy]

1. A wise man (a) wants a mark to shoot at
2. Ignorance (c) is the mother of impudence
3. Many straws (d) may bind an elephant
4. Malice seldom (e) turns chance into good fortune
5. Any excuse (g) will serve a tyrant
6. Coming events (b) cast their shadows before
7. Curses like chickens (f) come home to roost

That looks like some sensible pairings, but I agree with emsr2d2 that none of these are in current use - certainly not in the UK!