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Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the bidding process for the municipal road construction project, the indigenous firm managed to steal a march on its foreign competitors by submitting their technical proposal ahead of the published deadline. Which of the following options best conveys the meaning of the idiomatic expression in bold?

  1. gained an unexpected advantage overAnswer
  2. B
    marched forcefully against
  3. C
    illegally copied the strategies of
  4. D
    lost the competitive edge to

Answer

The correct option is the one stating 'gained an unexpected advantage over'.
The idiomatic expression 'steal a march on someone' means to gain an unexpected or secret advantage over a rival, especially by acting before they do. In the sentence, the indigenous firm secured an advantage over foreign rivals by submitting its proposal ahead of the deadline.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the idiomatic expression in context
The phrase 'steal a march on' describes acting early or quietly to gain a favorable position over a competitor.
Idioms cannot be understood through literal word-by-word translation; their established figurative meaning within the sentence must be identified.
2
Evaluate the options against the figurative meaning
The phrase 'gained an unexpected advantage over' matches the scenario of submitting a proposal ahead of rivals to outmaneuver them.
Submitting required documentation early to get ahead of competitors demonstrates gaining a head start or unexpected advantage.

Key Concept

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
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Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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