Question

Choose‌ ‌the‌ ‌correct‌ ‌idiomatic‌ ‌expression‌ ‌to‌ ‌complete‌ ‌the‌ ‌conversation:‌ ‌
Simi:‌ ‌Lisa‌ ‌is‌ ‌always‌ ‌___________.‌ ‌She‌ ‌has‌ ‌such‌ ‌a‌ ‌holier-than-thou‌ ‌attitude.‌ ‌
Nina:‌ ‌Well,‌ ‌we‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌accept‌ ‌her‌ ‌the‌ ‌way‌ ‌she‌ ‌is,‌ ‌she’s‌ ‌our‌ ‌friend.‌ ‌
A)‌ ‌Looking‌ ‌down‌ ‌on‌ ‌others‌ ‌
B)‌ ‌Annoying‌ ‌others‌ ‌
C)‌ ‌Asking‌ ‌questions‌ ‌
D)‌ ‌Preaching‌ ‌good‌ ‌things‌

Answer 1

Hint: Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal language that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression. For example: cross your finger means good luck.

Complete answer:
Option A) Looking down on others – is the correct answer because the meaning of ‘looking down on others’ is ‘to regard oneself as superior to others’ and this is similar to the meaning of “holier-than-thou attitude”. Thus, this is the correct answer.
Option B) Annoying others – is an incorrect answer because ‘annoying others’ means ‘making someone feel fairly angry and impatient’ and this is not the meaning of the “holier-than-thou attitude”. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option C) Asking questions – is an incorrect answer because ‘asking questions’ means ‘asking somebody a question or clearing doubts’ and this is not the meaning of the “holier-than-thou attitude”. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.
Option D) Preaching good things – is an incorrect answer because ‘preaching good things’ means ‘convey a sense of affirmation or acknowledgement’ and this is not the meaning of the “holier-than-thou attitude”. Thus, this is an incorrect answer.

Hence, the correct answer is Option ‘A’.

Note:An idiomatic expression - meaning of the expression is different than the literal meaning of the expression. The phrases 'annoying others', 'asking questions' and 'preaching good things' all have a literal meaning; they are not idiomatic expressions. Hence options B, C and D are incorrect and option A is the most appropriate answer.