Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the parliamentary debate on the new taxation bill, the opposition leader accused the minister of skirting the issue whenever difficult questions about implementation were raised. Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the underlined expression?

  1. avoiding a direct discussion or response to the matterAnswer
  2. B
    tailoring standard garments for government officials
  3. C
    fabricating false evidence to mislead the committee
  4. D
    thoroughly addressing every detail of the problem

Answer

The phrase 'skirting the issue' means avoiding dealing with or discussing a problem directly.
The idiomatic expression 'skirting the issue' means to attempt to ignore, avoid, or bypass a central problem or topic rather than facing or discussing it directly. In the context of a debate where challenging questions are being asked, avoiding direct answers precisely matches this definition.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context
The minister is facing 'difficult questions about implementation' during a parliamentary debate.
Contextual clues indicate an evasive behavioral pattern when confronted with challenging queries.
2
Determine the figurative meaning of the idiom
To 'skirt' an issue or question means to travel around the outer edge of it without tackling the core matter directly.
Idiomatic expressions convey non-literal meaning derived from figurative usage.
3
Match with the correct interpretation
The option stating 'avoiding a direct discussion or response to the matter' correctly reflects this figurative meaning.
It accurately captures the essence of evasion in speech or debate.

Key Concept

Idiom Interpretation in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

More questions from this topic