In each of the following questions, choose the option that best expresses the meaning of the idiom "selling like hot cakes".

Introduction / Context:
The idiom "selling like hot cakes" is frequently used in business news reports, advertisements, and everyday speech. It describes items that are being bought very quickly and in large numbers. Such idioms are a regular feature of English vocab sections in competitive exams, so knowing them gives you an advantage in both questions and reading passages.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Idiom: "selling like hot cakes".
- Options: having a good season, becoming as planned, having a very slow sale, having a very good sale, being extremely expensive.
- We must identify the option that reflects the established idiomatic meaning of the phrase.

Concept / Approach:
"Hot cakes" refers to freshly made, warm cakes that people eagerly buy and eat. If something is "selling like hot cakes", it means customers are buying it rapidly, as soon as it becomes available, and in large quantities. So the key ideas are high demand and fast sales, not slowness or high price. Among the options, "to have a very good sale" most clearly expresses this sense of strong, rapid sales.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Visualise a shop where fresh hot cakes are just out of the oven and people rush to buy them.
Step 2: Transfer that image to a product, service, or book that is selling very quickly because it is popular.
Step 3: Compare options and choose the one that mentions strong sales in clear terms: "To have a very good sale".
Step 4: Reject options that refer to slow sales, planning, or price instead of demand and speed.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider typical usage: "The new smartphone model is selling like hot cakes" or "Tickets for the concert are selling like hot cakes." In both examples, the meaning is that many people are buying them quickly, often causing stock to run out. The idiom does not focus on whether it is the right season or how expensive the item is; it focuses on the speed and volume of sales, which is best captured by "a very good sale".

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- To have a good season: this may refer to a successful period for a business but does not necessarily convey the image of rapid, high-volume sales of a particular item.

- To become as planned: relates to plans or outcomes, not to sales volume or speed.
- To have a very slow sale: is the opposite of the idiom's meaning; "selling like hot cakes" means sales are fast, not slow.
- To be extremely expensive: price is not the focus; even cheap items can sell like hot cakes if they are popular.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners think the idiom must be about food or seasons when they see "hot cakes". Remember that idioms often use vivid images to express a more general idea. Here that idea is strong demand and rapid selling. Associating this phrase with headlines about popular products will help you remember it correctly.

Final Answer:
"Selling like hot cakes" means that something is selling very fast and in large quantities, i.e., it is having a very good sale.