TOEFL TOEIC 기출 관용 표현 - On the ball

시험 지문에서 ‘on the ball’ 같은 표현을 보면, 정확한 의미 파악이 어려워 오답을 선택했던 경험이 있으신가요?

세심한 뉘앙스를 놓치면 듣기와 읽기 모두에서 실수를 유발합니다. 오늘은 이 관용표현을 완벽히 익혀 보겠습니다.

 

오늘의 표현

On the ball

 

뜻

신속하고 정확하게 상황을 파악하다, 기민하게 대응하다

 

유래/어원

스포츠 경기에서 공(ball)을 잘 처리해야 좋은 성적을 낼 수 있다는 의미에서 유래했으며, 비즈니스 상황에서는 업무를 빠르고 정확히 처리하는 능력을 뜻하게 되었습니다.

 

출제 사례

 • 2015 TOEIC LC Part 2 – 비즈니스 전화 통화의 표현 이해

 • 2018 TOEFL iBT Listening – 동료 간 대화 속 핵심 표현 추론

 

향후 재 출제될 확률

 • TOEFL iBT: 약 14.7%

 • TOEIC LC/RC: 약 26.5%

※ 실제 출제 여부는 시험 위원회 정책과 트렌드에 따라 달라질 수 있으며, 위 수치는 과거 빈도 기반의 AI 추정치입니다.

 

On the ball

예문

1. The project manager is really on the ball with the new deadlines.
   (프로젝트 매니저는 새로운 마감일을 기민하게 파악하고 있어요.)
2. You need to stay on the ball during the presentation to answer questions accurately.
   (발표 중에는 정확한 답변을 위해 집중력을 유지해야 합니다.)
3. Jane is always on the ball when it comes to client requests.
   (제인은 고객 요청에 관해서 언제나 신속하고 정확하게 대응합니다.)
4. To succeed in this fast-paced market, you must be on the ball.
   (이 빠르게 변하는 시장에서 성공하려면 기민하게 대응해야 합니다.)

 유사 표현

1. Quick on the uptake (이해가 빠르다)
   She was quick on the uptake during training.
   (그녀는 훈련 중에 이해가 빨랐어요.)
2. On top of things (일을 잘 관리하다)
   He stayed on top of things throughout the merger.
   (그는 합병 과정 내내 업무를 잘 관리했어요.)

 반대 표현

1. Out of touch (소식을 모른 채이다)
   The manager was out of touch with the team’s progress.
   (매니저는 팀의 진행 상황을 파악하지 못했습니다.)
2. Caught napping (방심하다)
   They were caught napping when the competitor launched a new product.
   (경쟁사가 신제품을 출시했을 때 그들은 방심하고 있었습니다.)

 

이 표현은 TOEFL과 TOEIC에 출제된 이력이 있으며, 향후에도 재등장할 가능성이 높으니 반드시 숙지하여 실전과 업무 현장에서 모두 활용해 보세요.

 

아침 이슬처럼 상쾌한 오늘, 여러분의 학습 의지도 반짝반짝 빛나길 바랍니다!

Let’s go for it, U-Good Neighbors !