In the following question, out of the given four alternatives, select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the idiom or phrase “break the ice”.

Introduction / Context:
This idiom question tests your understanding of common social expressions in English. “Break the ice” is frequently used in everyday speech, office meetings, interviews and social gatherings. Knowing its meaning helps you understand conversations and passages that talk about initial awkwardness between people who do not know each other well.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The idiom is “break the ice”.
• Four possible meanings are given.
• You must choose the option that corresponds to its standard idiomatic use.
• The context is social interaction where people may feel shy or tense at first.

Concept / Approach:
Literally, breaking ice means cracking frozen water. Figuratively, “break the ice” means to overcome initial shyness, formality or silence between people and begin friendly conversation. It often refers to the first joke, activity, or remark that makes people relaxed and willing to talk. Therefore, the meaning is very close to “to break the silence” and start interacting with others in a friendly way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Recall the figurative meaning: to start a conversation in a tense or unfamiliar situation.Option A: “Bad intention” – has no connection with conversation or social comfort.Option B: “To escape” – describes running away, not starting to talk.Option C: “To break the silence” – matches the idea of starting to talk after an awkward or quiet period.Option D: “To fail” – used in phrases like “breakdown” or “fall through”, not “break the ice”.Thus, Option C is the correct choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Use the idiom in a sentence: “The trainer told a funny story at the beginning of the workshop to break the ice.” If we replace it with the chosen meaning, we get: “...to break the silence,” which carries the right idea that he wanted to make participants comfortable and start a friendly interaction.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Bad intention” suggests a negative motive, which is not part of this idiom. “To escape” is about leaving a place or situation, not about starting conversation. “To fail” is unrelated; when something fails, we might say it “fell flat” or “collapsed”, but not “broke the ice”. None of these options capture the social context and friendly purpose of “breaking the ice”.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may overthink and look for deeper metaphors like “bad intention” or “to fail”, but idioms like this are very common in spoken English with straightforward meanings. Remember that “break the ice” almost always appears where two people or groups meet for the first time and someone must start a conversation.

Final Answer:
The idiom “break the ice” means to break the silence and begin friendly conversation.