Read the passage excerpt below carefully. Match each numbered figurative expression used in the passage with its precise contextual meaning as intended by the author.
"During the inquest into the financial mismanagement of the state transportation authority, the auditor general's testimony acted as a double-edged sword (1) that exposed systemic rot while simultaneously calling into question past oversight committees. He emphasized that the agency was operating as a sinking ship (2) rapidly losing public confidence. The revelation hit the assembly like a thunderbolt (3), forcing defensive spokespersons into grasping at straws (4) during their subsequent press statements."
- (1) a double-edged swordAn action or statement that brings both favorable and damaging consequences
- (2) a sinking shipAn organization in severe, irreversible decline and facing total collapse
- (3) hit like a thunderboltProduced a sudden, overwhelming shock and profound surprise
- (4) grasping at strawsMaking desperate, ineffective attempts to salvage an indefensible position
Answer
The correct pairings match '(1) a double-edged sword' with 'An action or statement that brings both favorable and damaging consequences', '(2) a sinking ship' with 'An organization in severe, irreversible decline and facing total collapse', '(3) hit like a thunderbolt' with 'Produced a sudden, overwhelming shock and profound surprise', and '(4) grasping at straws' with 'Making desperate, ineffective attempts to salvage an indefensible position'.
Each figurative phrase is mapped to its precise contextual meaning within the passage: the dual impact of 'a double-edged sword', the organizational collapse of 'a sinking ship', the abrupt shock of 'hit like a thunderbolt', and the desperate defense of 'grasping at straws'.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Contextual interpretation of metaphorical language, similes, and idiomatic expressions in comprehension passages.