Idioms in Context – Choose the option that best explains the meaning of the highlighted expression. Sentence: I felt that it was a “tall order” to expect Monisha to go home alone at twelve in the night.

Introduction / Context:
“A tall order” is an idiom meaning a request or expectation that is excessive, unreasonable, or very hard to fulfill. The context—asking someone to go home alone at midnight—makes the expectation feel beyond what is fair or safe. We must select the option that best captures “too much to expect.”

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Idiom: “tall order.”
• Context: late-night travel alone.
• Focus: degree of expectation (excessive vs normal).

Concept / Approach:
While “difficult” is close, “tall order” often stresses that the request itself is excessive for the person or circumstances. It is not merely hard; it is asking too much. Therefore the most accurate paraphrase among the provided options is “Too much.”

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute: “it was too much to expect Monisha to go home alone at twelve.” This preserves the intended meaning exactly and is a standard gloss.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Difficult: Only addresses hardness, not excess or unfairness.
• Customary: Opposite of the speaker’s implication.
• Simple: Contradicts the perceived difficulty and excess.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating “tall order” with any difficult task. The idiom typically adds the sense of being unfairly demanding, which “Too much” expresses best here.

Final Answer:
Too much