The farmers worked through the night knowing they had to 'make hay while the sun shines' before the monsoon arrived. What does this proverb mean?

• A. To work particularly hard during the daytime
• B. To take full advantage of a favourable situation while it lasts (Answer)
• C. To complete agricultural tasks before a seasonal deadline
• D. To rely on good weather for financial success

'Make hay while the sun shines' means to take full advantage of a favourable opportunity while it is available — hay can only be made when the weather is good, so delays are costly. Option C is the literal agricultural context. The figurative meaning is about seizing any fleeting opportunity, not just farming.

With the company's quarterly losses growing, a major restructuring was 'on the cards'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. Being planned in great detail by the management team
• B. Very likely to happen in the foreseeable future (Answer)
• C. Already approved by the board of directors
• D. Being discussed by shareholders at an annual meeting

'On the cards' (British English; 'in the cards' in American English) means something that is likely or expected to happen — perhaps from the idea of fortune tellers reading cards to predict the future. Option A (planned in detail) implies a more concrete stage of preparation than the idiom's sense of likelihood.

The entire family sat 'on pins and needles' as they waited for the jury's verdict. What does this expression mean?

• A. In extreme physical discomfort from prolonged sitting
• B. In a state of nervous anxiety and suspense (Answer)
• C. Arguing tensely about the likely outcome
• D. Silently protesting the length of the legal proceedings

'On pins and needles' means in a state of nervous suspense and anxiety — the physical sensation of pins and needles (tingling from restricted circulation) mirrors the uncomfortable, restless feeling of anxious waiting. Option C (arguing) adds conflict not in the idiom. Option A is the literal physical meaning.

With no concrete leads, the police were simply taking 'a shot in the dark' by searching the abandoned warehouse. What does this idiom mean?

• A. Attempting something dangerous with unknown consequences
• B. Making a guess or attempt without having adequate information (Answer)
• C. Conducting a covert operation without proper authorisation
• D. Using an indirect method to avoid attracting attention

'A shot in the dark' means a wild guess or an attempt made without sufficient information or guidance — like firing blindly without being able to see the target. Option A (dangerous with unknown consequences) adds risk, which the idiom does not specifically imply. The focus is on the absence of information, not the presence of danger.

As a freelancer, she had to 'wear many hats' — writing content, managing social media, and handling client invoices all by herself. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To change one's personality to suit different clients
• B. To perform many different roles and responsibilities (Answer)
• C. To have expertise in multiple technical fields
• D. To dress formally for all professional interactions

'Wear many hats' means to have and fulfil many different roles or responsibilities — different hats traditionally represent different jobs or functions (a judge's wig, a chef's toque, a soldier's helmet). Option C (expertise in multiple fields) implies depth of knowledge; the idiom is about breadth of roles, not depth of expertise.

After a chaotic first month, the startup's operations manager finally 'got her act together' and streamlined all the processes. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To start a new theatrical or creative project
• B. To become better organised and efficient after a period of disorder (Answer)
• C. To convince the team to cooperate after internal conflict
• D. To accept new responsibilities with a positive attitude

'Get one's act together' means to organise oneself effectively and start performing competently after a period of inefficiency or confusion. The metaphor is theatrical — an actor whose 'act' (performance) is finally polished and ready. Option C (convince the team) describes leadership, not self-organisation.

As the only scientist who opposed the mainstream theory, she was not afraid to 'go against the grain'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To oppose the majority view and act contrary to convention (Answer)
• B. To conduct experiments that contradict accepted scientific methods
• C. To publish research that challenges funding authorities
• D. To collaborate with rivals in a field

'Go against the grain' means to act in a way that is contrary to what is usual, expected, or accepted. The grain of wood runs in one direction — cutting against it is difficult and unconventional. Option B (contradict methods) and C (challenge funding) are specific forms of going against the grain but far narrower than the idiom.

Just when the athlete thought the competition rules were clear, the federation 'moved the goalposts' by changing the qualifying criteria. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To cheat by altering the rules of a competition
• B. To change the conditions or requirements after something has already begun (Answer)
• C. To impose stricter penalties during a sporting event
• D. To redesign the physical layout of a sports facility

'Move the goalposts' means to change the rules, conditions, or objectives of a situation after it has already started — making it harder or impossible for others to succeed. Option A (cheat) adds a moral absolute; the idiom can describe unfair but not necessarily dishonest changes.

The tabloids made a national crisis out of the minister's minor scheduling error — it was nothing more than 'a storm in a teacup'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. A crisis that starts small but grows into a genuine problem
• B. A situation that causes great excitement over something trivial (Answer)
• C. A private dispute that is unnecessarily made public
• D. An argument that is loud but quickly forgotten

'A storm in a teacup' (British English; 'tempest in a teapot' in American English) means a great deal of fuss and excitement over something insignificant. Option A (grows into a genuine problem) is the opposite of the idiom's meaning — the idiom implies the problem never becomes significant. Option C and D describe related but different phenomena.

She decided to 'throw caution to the wind' and quit her stable government job to pursue her dream of becoming a chef. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To prepare very carefully for a risky decision
• B. To act boldly without worrying about the risks (Answer)
• C. To make a sudden decision after long deliberation
• D. To discuss a risky plan openly with others before proceeding

'Throw caution to the wind' means to act boldly and recklessly, disregarding the need for care or caution — to literally throw caution away so the wind can carry it off. Option A (prepare carefully) is the opposite. Option C (sudden decision after deliberation) adds prior planning the idiom does not imply.