Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the crisis meeting between management and the labor union, the human resources director attempted to pour oil on troubled waters by addressing the workers' welfare grievances. What is the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. soothe anger and calm a tense situationAnswer
  2. B
    pour liquid petroleum onto water to contain a chemical spill
  3. C
    escalate hostility and intensify the ongoing dispute
  4. D
    offer secret monetary payouts to buy off union representatives

Answer

soothe anger and calm a tense situation
The idiom 'pour oil on troubled waters' means to say or do something to calm a disagreement or lessen anger in a difficult situation. In the given context, the director's actions were aimed at reducing tension with the labor union.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence context and identify the idiomatic phrase.
The phrase 'pour oil on troubled waters' is used in the context of an HR director dealing with a tense union dispute.
Contextual clues indicate an attempt to resolve conflict and restore harmony.
2
Differentiate between literal wording and figurative meaning.
Figuratively, oil smoothing rough waves symbolizes calming heated emotions or disputes.
Idioms in Use of English tests require figurative interpretation rather than word-for-word literal translation.

Key Concept

Interpretation of Idiomatic Expressions in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

More questions from this topic