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Question

Difficulty: MediumInterpreting Vocabulary and Idioms in Context

An English translation of a promotional flyer for a cultural festival in Barcelona, Spain, states:

'For our tenth anniversary, we are going to throw the house out the window! We have invited international artists, organized free workshops, and prepared a massive fireworks display to close the event.'

Based on the passage, what is the meaning of the bolded expression 'throw the house out the window'?

  1. To spare no expense and celebrate lavishlyAnswer
  2. B
    To physically damage or discard household property
  3. C
    To relocate the festival to a different venue
  4. D
    To cancel the anniversary celebration entirely

Answer

To spare no expense and celebrate lavishly
The correct option correctly identifies the meaning of the Spanish idiom 'tirar la casa por la ventana' (translated as 'throw the house out the window'), which figuratively means to spare no expense or celebrate lavishly. The context of inviting international guests and organizing free workshops support this meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the promotional flyer
The flyer describes planning a tenth-anniversary event with international artists, free workshops, and a massive fireworks display.
Understanding the context helps determine if the phrase has a positive, negative, or literal meaning.
2
Examine the bolded expression 'throw the house out the window'
The expression refers to 'tirar la casa por la ventana', a common Spanish idiom used when celebrating a major milestone.
Identifying the idiom allows the reader to bypass literal interpretations.
3
Connect the idiom's meaning to the proposed activities
Inviting international artists and hosting free workshops require significant financial expenditure, which aligns with the meaning of spending lavishly.
This confirms that the lavish spending interpretation fits the context perfectly.

Key Concept

Interpreting Vocabulary and Idioms in Context

Hints

1
Identify the tone of the flyer. Is the festival organizers' attitude positive and celebratory, or negative and destructive?
2
Consider the activities listed after the idiom: inviting international artists, organizing free workshops, and preparing fireworks. Do these sound cheap or expensive?
3
The expression is a literal translation of the Spanish idiom 'tirar la casa por la ventana'. Think about what someone does when they want to host the ultimate celebration.

Practice More

Practice translating common Spanish idioms related to celebration and daily life, noting how their literal translations differ from their figurative meanings.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Interpreting Vocabulary and Idioms in Context