Question

Choose the right option to fill in the blank.
Sara’s a bit of ______, isn’t she? Who would have thought she’d write a best-selling novel?
A) A soft touch
B) A dark horse
C) A rough diamond
D) A snake in the grass

Answer 1

Hint: The above question is about one word for a group of words or a phrase. A person who opposes another person is considered a villain or rival to the other person. There are many synonyms for such a person – nemesis, arch-enemy, adversary, archrival, competitor, etc.

Complete answer:
An idiom or idiomatic expression is a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words. All the options given in the question are idioms.

Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) A soft touch: The above option is incorrect as ‘a soft touch’ is an idiom used to describe a person who is gullible or easily convinced or cheated by others.
Option B) A dark horse: The above option is correct as ‘a dark horse’ is an idiom used to describe someone who has hidden abilities, talents or qualities which suit the blank to be filled in the question as the second sentence had made it clear that Sara has written a best-selling novel is very surprising. Thus, Sara is proved to be a ‘dark horse’.
Option C) A rough diamond: The above option is incorrect as ‘a rough diamond’ is used to describe someone who has great potential if he or she gets proper training.
Option D) A snake in the grass: The above option is incorrect as ‘a snake in the grass’ is used to describe a person who is treacherous or will backstab another person if he or she got such opportunities.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘B’.

Note: The proper use of idioms adds colour and appeal to one’s language. As idioms are commonly used in (in)formal, spoken and written forms of language, the ability to use them correctly is crucial. There are mainly two kinds of idioms - prepositional idioms and idioms with gerunds/infinitives. Idioms have a cultural or traditional value attached to themselves. They are metaphorical in the sense, so that if one extracts the literal meaning of all the words stated, then it would be too unusual to believe. Thus, an idiom is not a wise choice of words for a formal speech as some people may not understand its meaning.