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Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Read the sentence below carefully:

'By authorizing major capital expenditures without prior approval from the governing board, the newly appointed financial supervisor was skating on thin ice.'

Which of the following options best captures the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. Taking a serious risk that could easily lead to severe trouble or failureAnswer
  2. B
    Navigating a slippery physical surface with extreme care
  3. C
    Deliberately attempting to conceal financial irregularities from auditors
  4. D
    Proceeding with complete confidence and guaranteed official endorsement

Answer

Taking a serious risk that could easily lead to severe trouble or failure
The expression 'skating on thin ice' is an idiom used to describe taking a significant risk or putting oneself in a precarious, vulnerable position where mistakes can bring immediate penalty or failure. Bypassing board approval exposes the supervisor to severe administrative risk.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The supervisor took an unauthorized risk by spending major capital without board permission.
Sentence context indicates that the supervisor's action was risky and unapproved.
2
Identify the figurative meaning of 'skating on thin ice'
The expression metaphorically compares taking a dangerous gamble to standing on weak ice that could break at any moment.
Idioms must be understood figuratively rather than by literal word definitions.

Key Concept

Interpretation of Idiomatic Expressions in Context
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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