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Difficulty: HardIdioms and Idiomatic Expressions

During the parliamentary debate on economic reform, opposition leaders tried to put a spoke in the minister's wheel regarding the proposed privatization bill.

Which of the following options best conveys the meaning of the underlined idiomatic expression?

  1. Thwart or hinder the minister's plans and progressAnswer
  2. B
    Provide technical assistance to improve the transport sector
  3. C
    Accuse the minister of embezzling public funds during the reform
  4. D
    Fully endorse and expedite the passage of the privatization bill

Answer

Thwart or hinder the minister's plans and progress
The idiomatic expression 'to put a spoke in someone's wheel' means to disrupt, hinder, or frustrate someone's plans. In the given context, the opposition attempts to impede the minister's privatization bill.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence
The opposition leaders are acting in resistance to the minister's proposed privatization bill.
Context clues in political debates indicate opposition attempts to stop or delay government policies.
2
Identify the figurative meaning of the idiom 'put a spoke in someone's wheel'
Historically, putting a wooden spoke into a moving wheel prevents it from turning, thereby stopping the vehicle.
Figuratively, the expression means to impede, obstruct, or thwart someone's plans.
3
Evaluate the options against the figurative meaning
The option stating to thwart or hinder the minister's plans correctly reflects this figurative obstruction.
Literal interpretations involving vehicle parts or extreme unwarranted extrapolations like corruption accusations fail to capture the established idiom.

Key Concept

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
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Topics

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions

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