English Idioms — Meaning in Context Choose the BEST meaning. Sentence: “He sold his house for a song.”

Introduction / Context:“For a song” is a fixed idiom indicating an extremely low price—so low it is almost as if the payment was only a song. Real estate, vehicles, and collectibles are typical contexts where this idiom appears to underscore a bargain sale by the seller or a windfall for the buyer.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Object: a house (high-value item).
• Idiom: “for a song” → bargain-level cheapness.
• We need the option that captures the extremity of the low price.

Concept / Approach:

Among choices, “very cheaply” is the strongest, clearest match. “At a discount” can be modest and is too vague; “at a reasonable price” suggests fairness, not a steal; “at a premium” is the opposite; “after much negotiation” describes process, not price level.

Step-by-Step Solution:

1) Recall idiom: “for a song” = extremely cheap.2) Select “very cheaply.”3) Reject weaker or opposite price descriptions.

Verification / Alternative check:

Substitute: “He sold his house very cheaply.” This exactly preserves the idiomatic meaning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

reasonable price: Neutral, not especially cheap.discount: Could be small; not necessarily “song-level.”at a premium: Means more than usual; opposite.after much negotiation: Irrelevant to price level.

Common Pitfalls:

Equating any discount with “for a song.” The idiom emphasizes an unusually low, almost symbolic price.

Final Answer:

very cheaply