Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: saved at the last moment
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of the idiom saved by the bell. Idioms are fixed expressions whose meanings cannot always be guessed from the individual words. In this expression, the image of a bell is used figuratively to show a sudden interruption that rescues someone from a difficult or embarrassing situation. Such phrases are common in spoken English, films, and television shows, so knowing them improves both listening skills and expressive ability.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Saved by the bell originally comes from boxing, where a boxer who is in trouble is rescued from defeat when the end of the round is signalled by a bell. Over time, the phrase extended to general situations where someone is rescued at the very last moment by some interruption, such as a phone call, a visitor, or the end of a class. It does not literally refer to time being in your favour, nor does it have a religious association with church bells. The key idea is last moment rescue. Therefore, saved at the last moment is the option that accurately captures the idiomatic meaning.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall typical situations where people say saved by the bell, for example when a teacher ends a difficult oral test because the period is over.
Step 2: Focus on the crucial elements of the idiom: there is a rescue or relief, and it happens at the final possible moment.
Step 3: Compare this with option B saved at the last moment, which directly expresses both the rescue and the timing.
Step 4: Evaluate option A when time is in your favour, which is too broad and vague, since time can favour someone in many ways, not only by sudden interruption.
Step 5: Consider options C and D and recognise that they focus on literal bells rather than the figurative meaning, making them unsuitable interpretations of the idiom.
Verification / Alternative check:
Insert the idiom and each option into example contexts. Imagine a student about to be questioned by a strict teacher when the lunch bell rings. The student might say I was saved by the bell. Here, the obvious meaning is I was saved at the last moment by the bell ending the class. If you replace this with when time is in your favour, the phrase loses the sense of sudden rescue. The idea that the bell rings at the most opportune time simply describes a literal bell, not the idiomatic sense. The religious explanation about church bells is unrelated. Dictionaries and phrase guides consistently define saved by the bell as rescued at almost the last possible moment, which confirms option B as correct.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A when time is in your favour is too general and does not imply the sudden last minute rescue that is central to the idiom.
Option C the bell rings at the most opportune time describes a literal event and not the figurative meaning of being rescued from trouble.
Option D prayers are answered when the church bell rings connects the idiom to religion, which is not part of its actual historical origin or common usage.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners often interpret idioms too literally, focusing on individual words such as bell or saved. This can lead them to choose options that describe bells or religious practices instead of the figurative meaning used in everyday speech. Another pitfall is selecting a vague positive sounding option like when time is in your favour, which seems encouraging but does not match the specific last second rescue implied by the idiom. A good strategy is to remember a few typical scenarios for each idiom from movies or stories and use those mental images to test each possible meaning.
Final Answer:
saved at the last moment
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