Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumCollocations and Fixed Phrases

Despite the minister's eloquent speech promising swift anti-corruption reforms, civic groups criticized the administration for merely paying _______ to the proposed accountability policies. Which word correctly completes the fixed phrase in the sentence?

  1. lipAnswer
  2. B
    mouth
  3. C
    tongue
  4. D
    eye

Answer

The word 'lip' correctly completes the fixed expression 'pay lip service to'.
The idiom 'pay lip service to' specifically means to express approval or support for something without taking any meaningful action. In the sentence context, civic groups accuse the government of only talking about reforms without executing them.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The sentence contrasts an eloquent speech of promises with a lack of practical action by the administration.
Understanding context helps identify the intended figurative expression meaning insincere or superficial verbal support.
2
Identify the standard English fixed phrase
The established idiom for giving insincere verbal agreement without real action is 'pay lip service to'.
Fixed idioms and collocations require specific word combinations that cannot be substituted with near-synonyms.

Key Concept

Fixed Idiomatic Expressions and Collocations
Rate this question

Topics

Collocations and Fixed Phrases

More questions from this topic