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Difficulty: EasyIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

Preparing for her final university entrance examination, Amina had to burn the midnight oil every day. Which of the following best expresses the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. A
    light oil lamps at night for illumination
  2. work or study late into the nightAnswer
  3. C
    waste fuel and resources during study hours
  4. D
    go to sleep early to rest before exams

Answer

The expression 'burn the midnight oil' means to work or study late into the night.
The idiomatic expression 'burn the midnight oil' figurative means to study or work late into the night. In the context of the sentence, Amina spent long hours studying late for her upcoming examination.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the idiomatic expression within the sentence context
The phrase 'burn the midnight oil' describes Amina's daily preparation for an important academic examination.
Context clues point to intensive study habits during exam preparation.
2
Identify the figurative meaning of the idiom
'Burning the midnight oil' historically refers to staying awake late into the night using lamp oil to read, study, or work.
Idioms must be interpreted by their figurative meaning rather than literal word definitions.

Key Concept

Figurative interpretation of standard English idioms
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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