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Difficulty: Very hardIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the preliminary diplomatic briefings, the special envoy's statement was intended merely to fly a kite before the multilateral summit convened. Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. A
    engage in ceremonial displays of airborne vehicles during international events
  2. B
    officially ratify a binding bilateral treaty ahead of schedule
  3. test public opinion and gauge reactions to a proposal before committing to a course of actionAnswer
  4. D
    forcefully suppress opposing political viewpoints during negotiations

Answer

The expression 'fly a kite' means to test public opinion and gauge reactions to a proposal before committing to a course of action.
The idiomatic expression 'fly a kite' originates from floating an object into the air to check wind direction; figuratively, it means floating a policy idea, proposal, or statement to see how the public or interested parties will react before making a firm commitment.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The statement was made during preliminary briefings prior to a main summit to observe reactions.
Contextual clues indicate a preliminary, exploratory effort rather than a final or binding decision.
2
Determine the figurative meaning of the idiom 'fly a kite'
In political and formal registers, 'flying a kite' refers to releasing information or proposals tentatively to test public reaction.
Idioms must be interpreted through established figurative usage rather than literal word-for-word translation.

Key Concept

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions in Context
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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