He really 'put his foot in it' when he asked his colleague when her baby was due — she wasn't pregnant. What does this mean?

• A. To make an embarrassing blunder in a social situation (Answer)
• B. To enter a situation without being invited
• C. To insult someone deliberately
• D. To intervene in an argument between others

'Put your foot in it' means to say or do something that causes embarrassment or offence — usually accidentally. Option C (deliberate insult) removes the accidental quality the idiom implies.

When the festival began, it was 'raining cats and dogs' outside the venue. What does this expression describe?

• A. Chaos and disorder at a public event
• B. Very heavy and intense rainfall (Answer)
• C. A thunderstorm accompanied by strong winds
• D. Unpredictable weather that changes rapidly

'Raining cats and dogs' simply means raining very heavily. Option C (thunderstorm) adds wind and thunder not in the idiom. Option D (unpredictable) adds variability the idiom doesn't describe.

Despite being a nervous public speaker, she managed to 'rise to the occasion' during the national debate. What does this mean?

• A. To be promoted to a higher position due to talent
• B. To perform better than expected when it really matters (Answer)
• C. To accept a challenge without preparation
• D. To remain calm under extreme pressure

'Rise to the occasion' means to perform at a higher level than usual when faced with an important or challenging situation. Option D (remain calm) describes composure; the idiom is about elevated performance, not just emotional control.

Just as the teacher was about to punish him for talking, the bell rang and he was 'saved by the bell'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. To be rescued from a bad situation by a timely external event (Answer)
• B. To complete a task just before the time limit
• C. To ring a bell to signal the end of an emergency
• D. To be rewarded for good behaviour at school

'Saved by the bell' comes from boxing, where a fighter on the verge of being knocked out is rescued by the bell ending the round. It means to be rescued from a difficult or embarrassing situation by something external happening at just the right moment.

After months of rumours, the company's CEO decided to 'set the record straight' at a press conference. What does this mean?

• A. To establish a new company record or benchmark
• B. To provide the correct facts to correct a misunderstanding or false information (Answer)
• C. To produce an official company timeline
• D. To play a vinyl record at an important event

'Set the record straight' means to provide accurate information to correct misunderstandings or false reports. The 'record' here is the account of events, not a vinyl disc. Option A (set a new record) misuses 'record' in a competitive sense.

People say that Riya is the 'spitting image' of her grandmother. What does this expression mean?

• A. She behaves exactly like her grandmother
• B. She looks exactly like her grandmother (Answer)
• C. She has inherited her grandmother's intelligence
• D. She has photographed her grandmother many times

'Spitting image' means to look exactly like another person — an exact physical likeness. The origin may be from 'spirit and image' or the archaic 'spit' meaning exact likeness. Option A (behaviour) and C (intelligence) refer to traits, not physical appearance.

Rather than relying on rumours, the journalist insisted on getting the story 'straight from the horse's mouth'. What does this idiom mean?

• A. From an unreliable third-party source
• B. Directly from the most authoritative or primary source (Answer)
• C. From a document rather than a verbal account
• D. From a whistleblower who provides anonymous tips

'Straight from the horse's mouth' means getting information directly from the original or most reliable source — as horses' ages were most accurately determined by examining their teeth (directly from the horse). Option D (anonymous whistleblower) suggests secrecy, while the idiom implies direct, credible sourcing.

Given how busy she was with three projects, her colleague suggested she 'take a rain check' on the dinner invitation. What does this expression mean?

• A. To politely decline an invitation with no intention of rescheduling
• B. To postpone accepting an offer with the intention of doing it later (Answer)
• C. To check the weather before making outdoor plans
• D. To reimburse someone for a cancelled event

'Take a rain check' means to decline an offer now but suggest doing it at a later date. The origin is from 19th-century baseball — if a game was rained out, spectators received a 'rain check' (a ticket stub) to attend a future game. Option A (permanent decline) misses the rescheduling intention.

The new team member tried to avoid discussing the company's recent financial scandal — it was the 'elephant in the room'. What does this idiom describe?

• A. An obvious and significant problem that people are avoiding discussing (Answer)
• B. A very large and complex bureaucratic structure
• C. A person in the room who has too much authority
• D. A controversial decision that affects everyone equally

'The elephant in the room' refers to an obvious, significant problem that everyone is aware of but no one wants to address or acknowledge. Option D involves everyone but misses the avoidance aspect of the idiom.

The old friends had supported each other 'through thick and thin' for over thirty years. What does this phrase mean?

• A. In both financially rich and poor circumstances
• B. In all situations — both good times and bad (Answer)
• C. Over a very long period of time
• D. During important and trivial events alike

'Through thick and thin' means through all difficulties and challenges, whether times are easy or hard. 'Thick' refers to difficult, dense conditions; 'thin' to easier ones. Option A (only financial circumstances) is too narrow. Option C (long time) is implied but not the core meaning.