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Question

Difficulty: HardIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the parliamentary debate on the contentious environmental bill, the senator decided to take up the cudgels for the affected rural communities. Which of the following options best conveys the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. A
    Physically assault the opponents representing industrial interests
  2. B
    Withdraw all legislative support from the rural inhabitants
  3. Vigorously defend and champion the cause of the rural inhabitantsAnswer
  4. D
    Commission a formal legal investigation into rural land ownership

Answer

To vigorously defend, support, or champion a person, group, or cause.
The idiomatic expression 'to take up the cudgels for someone' means to strongly defend, support, or champion a person, group, or idea. In the sentence, the senator is actively standing up for the interests of the affected rural communities during the parliamentary debate.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target idiomatic expression in the sentence stem.
The target phrase is 'take up the cudgels for'.
Recognizing the exact boundaries of the idiom prevents confusing it with surrounding context.
2
Determine the figurative meaning of the idiom in English usage.
Historically referring to picking up a weapon in defence of someone, 'taking up the cudgels for' figuratively means to strongly defend or champion someone's cause.
Idioms cannot be interpreted literally by combining individual word meanings.
3
Match the figurative definition with the provided choices.
The choice stating 'Vigorously defend and champion the cause of the rural inhabitants' directly matches the definition.
Selecting the option that reflects the figurative sense confirms the correct interpretation.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Interpretation in Context
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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