The champion sprinter's recurring knee injury proved to be his 'Achilles' heel' throughout the World Championships. What does this phrase mean?

• A. A weakness in an otherwise strong or capable person (Answer)
• B. An injury that ends a sportsperson's career permanently
• C. A personal fear that prevents someone from competing
• D. A technical flaw in training methods

'Achilles' heel' refers to a critical weakness or vulnerable point in an otherwise capable or strong person or system. In Greek mythology, Achilles was invulnerable everywhere except his heel, which is where he was fatally struck. Option B (career-ending) is too specific — an Achilles' heel is a vulnerability, not necessarily fatal.

The elaborate marketing campaign looked impressive, but the product failed — reminding everyone that 'all that glitters is not gold'. What does this proverb mean?

• A. Expensive things are not always the best quality
• B. Things that appear attractive or valuable may not actually be so (Answer)
• C. First impressions in business are often misleading
• D. Financial success does not guarantee personal happiness

'All that glitters is not gold' (popularised by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice) means that appearances can be deceptive — something that looks attractive may not have genuine value. Option A (expensive ≠ best quality) is a specific form of this principle. Option D introduces personal happiness, which is beyond the idiom's scope.

The opposition party kept raising the same rejected proposals, prompting the speaker to accuse them of 'beating a dead horse'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To continue pursuing a matter that has already been resolved or rejected (Answer)
• B. To use outdated information to support an argument
• C. To repeat the same mistake without learning from it
• D. To attack an opponent who is no longer in a position to respond

'Beat a dead horse' means to waste effort continuing to pursue something that has already been settled or that cannot be changed — like hitting a dead horse to make it run. Option D (attack a powerless opponent) is sometimes called 'kicking a dead horse' but the standard idiom is about futile persistence.

Growing up with every advantage — elite schools, foreign holidays, and a family business — he was clearly 'born with a silver spoon in his mouth'. What does this mean?

• A. Born into a wealthy and privileged family (Answer)
• B. Born with exceptional natural talent and intelligence
• C. Raised in a very strict but educated household
• D. Given special opportunities due to personal connections

'Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth' means to be born into a wealthy, privileged family. The expression originates from the tradition of godparents gifting silver spoons to wealthy newborns. Option B (natural talent) and D (personal connections) describe different forms of advantage — the idiom specifically refers to inherited wealth at birth.

After months of speculation, the company spokesperson finally 'came clean' about the data breach at a press conference. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To present a formal apology to those affected
• B. To tell the truth and confess something that was previously hidden (Answer)
• C. To announce a plan to fix a problem publicly
• D. To submit evidence to a regulatory authority

'Come clean' means to confess or tell the truth about something that has been concealed or lied about. Option A (formal apology) might follow coming clean but is not what the idiom means. Option C (announce a fix) is a forward-looking action; coming clean is about disclosing past concealment.

After half an hour of background information, the chairperson finally asked the presenter to 'cut to the chase'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To move to the most important and relevant part without delay (Answer)
• B. To pursue an issue aggressively in a meeting
• C. To reduce the total length of a presentation
• D. To end a meeting that is running over time

'Cut to the chase' means to get to the important point without wasting time on irrelevant details. The phrase comes from the film industry — early silent films often ended with a chase scene; cutting to the chase meant skipping filler and reaching the exciting part. Option C (reduce length) is one possible effect, not the meaning.

With no orders for six months and the accounts empty, the startup's expansion plans were 'dead in the water'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. The plans were being reviewed for viability
• B. The plans had completely failed and had no chance of succeeding (Answer)
• C. The plans were on hold until market conditions improved
• D. The plans required complete redesign from the beginning

'Dead in the water' means completely failed or halted with no prospect of revival. The phrase originates from a ship that has lost all propulsion and sits motionless. Option C (on hold) implies temporary suspension with expectation of recovery; 'dead in the water' implies finality.

The whistleblower law was described as 'a double-edged sword' — it protected informants but also exposed them to retaliation. What does this phrase mean?

• A. A weapon that is dangerous to use in any situation
• B. Something that has both beneficial and harmful consequences simultaneously (Answer)
• C. A law that is applied differently depending on the circumstances
• D. A decision that benefits two opposing parties at the same time

'A double-edged sword' refers to something that has both positive and negative effects — just as a sword with two sharp edges cuts in both directions. Option D (benefits two parties simultaneously) describes a win-win; the idiom describes a situation with both advantages and disadvantages for the same person or situation.

After publicly questioning the CEO's strategy and being proved wrong, the analyst had to 'eat humble pie'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To receive a promotion despite admitting a mistake
• B. To be forced to acknowledge one's error and accept humiliation (Answer)
• C. To resign from a position due to professional failure
• D. To publicly thank those who helped prove one wrong

'Eat humble pie' means to be forced to apologise and admit one was wrong in a humiliating manner. 'Umble pie' (made from the offal or 'umbles' of a deer) was served to lower-ranking servants — a meal associated with inferior status. Option A (promotion despite mistake) is contradictory. Option C (resign) is one possible but not necessary outcome.

By taking on the legal case of both the plaintiff and a related third party, the lawyer was accused of 'fishing in troubled waters'. What does this mean?

• A. To search for solutions in an extremely complex situation
• B. To try to gain an advantage from a confused or unstable situation (Answer)
• C. To create additional problems while solving the original one
• D. To investigate a case involving many different suspects

'Fish in troubled waters' means to try to take advantage of a disordered, confused, or difficult situation for personal gain — fish are easier to catch in disturbed waters where they are disoriented. Option C (create problems) implies causing the trouble; the idiom is about exploiting pre-existing trouble.