Fill in the Blanks

'Beneath every rose lies the thorn' reminds us that beautiful things often hide painful aspects. Roses symbolize beauty and pleasure, while thorns represent the risks or pains that accompany them. This proverb warns against being deceived by appearances.

'At the king so the subjects' reflects feudal hierarchy where the ruler's character and behavior cascade down to influence the entire population. This medieval proverb suggests that leadership sets the tone for society - if the king is corrupt, the subjects will likely follow suit.

'It is hard to live in Rome and fight with the Pope' illustrates the difficulty of opposing established authority. The Pope in Rome represented supreme power, making conflict nearly impossible for those living within his domain. This proverb warns against challenging overwhelming authority.

'Where there is a will there is a way' is the correct phrase.

'As you sow so shall you reap' uses an agricultural metaphor for consequences. Just as a farmer harvests what he plants, your actions determine your outcomes. 'Sow' means to plant seeds, making it the logical counterpart to 'reap' (harvest).

'A wolf in lamb's clothing' warns of dangerous predators disguising themselves as harmless prey. This twists the more common 'wolf in sheep's clothing' but maintains the same meaning - beware of those who pretend to be innocent while hiding predatory intentions.

'Out of the frying pan into the fire' describes escaping one bad situation only to land in a worse one. The frying pan represents danger, but fire represents even greater peril. This proverb warns that desperate solutions can escalate problems rather than solve them.

The proverb 'Barking dogs seldom bite' means that those who make the most noise or threaten the most are rarely the ones who actually cause harm. Dogs that bark aggressively are usually warning or defending territory, not attacking. The other options (regularly, frequently) contradict the proverb's meaning, while rarely is close but seldom is the traditional wording.

The proverb 'Birds of a feather flock together' means people with similar interests, backgrounds, or beliefs tend to associate with each other. 'Feather' refers to the type or kind of bird, creating an analogy about human social behavior. Other options like colour, group, or species don't complete this traditional saying.

The proverb 'A burnt child dreads the fire' means that once someone has been hurt by something, they naturally fear and avoid it in the future. It speaks to how negative experiences create lasting caution. The other options (water, cloud, thing) don't create the logical cause-and-effect relationship that makes this proverb meaningful.

This question tests the proverb 'A bad workman blames his tools,' though this version uses 'quarrels with' instead of the standard 'blames.' Despite the non-standard verb, 'tools' remains the correct answer to complete the proverb. The saying means incompetent people fault their equipment rather than admitting their own lack of skill. Brush, guns, and weapons don't fit this traditional expression.

The proverb 'Empty vessels make much noise' means people with little knowledge or substance tend to talk the most or make the biggest show. It's about how emptiness (whether literal or figurative) creates resonance and commotion. The other options (sounds, gives out, creates) don't complete this traditional saying about ignorance and boastfulness.

The proverb 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing' warns that having partial understanding can be worse than knowing nothing at all, because it leads to overconfidence and poor decisions. This is from Alexander Pope's poem 'An Essay on Criticism.' Good, nice, and ugly don't capture the warning about risks that 'dangerous' provides.

The proverb 'All's well that ends well' means the ultimate outcome matters more than difficulties along the way. If things conclude successfully, earlier problems are forgiven or forgotten. Other options (begins, leaves, finishes) don't create this meaningful saying about focusing on final results rather than the journey.

The proverb 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' means certain possession is better than uncertain prospects. Having one guaranteed advantage beats the risk of losing everything while chasing greater rewards. Zoo, house, and church don't complete this traditional saying about valuing what you have over speculative gains.