In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank from the four alternatives. The preacher challenged hundreds of thousands of young people who gathered in a __________ Polish meadow to reject being a "____________" who retreats into video games and computer screens and instead engage in social activism and politics to create a more just world. In this context, choose the most appropriate idiomatic expression to complete the phrase "____________" who retreats into video games and computer screens.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: couch potato

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This passage based question checks your understanding of modern English idioms that describe lifestyle and behaviour. The preacher is talking about a young person who hides from real life by spending time only with video games and computer screens, and he warns the audience not to become such a person. The blank is inside quotation marks, so it clearly calls for a fixed idiomatic expression rather than a simple descriptive word.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The person described retreats into video games and computer screens.
  • The preacher wants young people to engage in social activism and politics instead of being passive.
  • The blank is written in quotes "____________", so it must be a recognised expression.
  • The options are couch potato, lazy tomato, loafer, spectator.


Concept / Approach:
In English, there is a very common idiom for someone who spends long hours sitting on a sofa watching television or using screens with almost no physical activity. That idiom is couch potato. To solve the question, you should recall which expression native speakers really use in media articles and speeches to criticise a passive, screen obsessed lifestyle and then match that idiom with the options given.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase "who retreats into video games and computer screens". This points to someone who lives a sedentary, screen centred life. Step 2: Recall that the idiom couch potato means a person who spends a lot of time sitting or lying down, usually watching television or using screens, and doing very little physical activity. Step 3: Test the phrase "couch potato" in the sentence. "Reject being a couch potato who retreats into video games and computer screens" sounds completely natural. Step 4: Check "lazy tomato". This is not a standard idiom. It sounds made up for the exam and would not appear in serious writing about a pope. Step 5: Check "loafer". This word means an idle person, but it is not the well known expression used for a screen addict sitting on a couch. Step 6: Check "spectator". This means an onlooker at an event and is too general. It does not carry the idea of laziness on a sofa and does not fit the quoted phrase.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by thinking of news articles or conversations where people criticise unhealthy lifestyles. They often say that modern entertainment has turned many youngsters into couch potatoes. None of the other options appear as established idioms in similar serious contexts. This supports couch potato as the only correct answer here.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • lazy tomato: Not a recognised idiom in English and would not be used in quotation marks in a formal passage.
  • loafer: The meaning is close to lazy person, but it is not the typical image of someone glued to screens on a sofa and is not an exact idiomatic match.
  • spectator: Refers to someone who watches an event such as a match. It has no special link to video games or televisions as a lifestyle.


Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to focus only on the idea of laziness and choose loafer. However, exam setters often test very specific idioms that match a cultural stereotype. Another pitfall is to think that any funny sounding phrase in quotes can work, but real idioms follow actual usage patterns. Paying attention to context and remembering which expressions are actually used in media will help you avoid such traps.


Final Answer:
The correct idiomatic expression for the blank is couch potato.

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