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Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Complete the sentence below by providing the appropriate idiomatic expression.

Answer:By working consecutive night shifts while simultaneously studying for her final examinations, Halima was clearly 【burning the candle at both ends】, which eventually led to severe physical breakdown.

Answer

burning the candle at both ends
The expression 'burning the candle at both ends' correctly conveys the figurative meaning of exhausting oneself by trying to do too much at once, particularly working late hours and rising early. This fits Halima's situation of undertaking simultaneous strenuous activities.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The subject is performing two extremely demanding tasks simultaneously (working night shifts and studying for finals), leading to physical collapse.
Contextual clues indicate extreme overwork and exertion from staying up late and getting insufficient rest.
2
Identify the corresponding English idiom
The idiom 'burning the candle at both ends' specifically means to exhaust one's energy or physical resources by working too hard, especially staying up late and getting up early.
This expression fits the sentence structure and figurative meaning required by the context.

Key Concept

Idiomatic Expression Interpretation
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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