Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Disputed
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This idiom question focuses on a phrase often used in legal, academic and everyday discussions: a moot point. Although the word moot has slightly different nuances in British and American English, in exam contexts it is usually tested with the meaning of being debatable or open to argument. You must select the option that captures this sense of something being a matter of dispute rather than settled fact.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Idiom: A moot point.
Options: Agreeable, Disputed, Unclear, Unknown.
We want the best paraphrase of the idiom as used in formal and semi formal English.
Typical usage: Whether the policy will actually solve the problem is a moot point.
Concept / Approach:
In many exam syllabi and traditional British usage, a moot point means a debatable issue about which reasonable people may disagree. It is not settled and may be argued from different sides. Therefore the closest meaning is disputed. Unclear or unknown may be related ideas, but they focus on lack of clarity or information rather than on the presence of argument or controversy. Agreeable clearly does not fit, as a moot point is not something universally accepted.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that a moot point typically refers to a point that is still open to debate or argument.
Step 2: Examine Disputed. Disputed means argued about, contested, or not universally accepted, which fits the idea of a debatable issue.
Step 3: Examine Agreeable. Agreeable means pleasant or acceptable to everyone, which is almost the opposite of a point that is still being argued.
Step 4: Examine Unclear. Unclear means not easy to understand; while a moot point may also be unclear, the main focus of the idiom is disagreement rather than confusion.
Step 5: Examine Unknown. Unknown means not known or not identified; again, this is about absence of information, not about people actively debating a known issue.
Step 6: Therefore, Disputed is the best expression of the meaning of a moot point.
Verification / Alternative check:
Consider the example: Whether the new law will reduce corruption is still a moot point. Here the speaker means that people disagree about this; some think it will help, others doubt it. Replacing moot point with disputed issue or a matter of dispute keeps the meaning unchanged, confirming the choice. If you substitute unclear or unknown, the sentence shifts towards lack of information, not towards disagreement among informed people.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Agreeable suggests consensus and comfort, which is incompatible with the idea of an issue that is still being debated.
Unclear emphasises difficulty in understanding, but many moot points are very clear; what is unclear is not the point itself but which side is right.
Unknown refers to facts we do not yet have, whereas a moot point usually concerns facts or outcomes that are known but interpreted differently by different people.
Common Pitfalls:
One common confusion arises from some American uses of moot, where it can also mean irrelevant. However, most exam questions, especially in Indian and British contexts, test the traditional sense of debatable. To avoid mistakes, always check what best matches the standard explanation taught in your preparation materials and grammar books: a moot point is a point open to argument and therefore disputed.
Final Answer:
The idiom A moot point means a disputed point (option B).
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