Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: over-turn
Explanation:
Introduction:
The idiom "turn turtle" may sound strange at first, but it has a specific meaning in English, especially in descriptions of accidents. This question is checking whether you know that idioms often develop from images in the real world, such as a turtle that has fallen on its back. Correctly understanding such idioms is important for reading news reports and literature.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Idiom: "turn turtle".
- Options: "slow like a turtle", "turn like a turtle", "over-turn", and "a game turtles play".
- We assume typical contexts like "The boat turned turtle in the storm", where the expression is used metaphorically.
Concept / Approach:
In nature, when a turtle is flipped onto its back, its shell faces down and its legs point up. This position is very difficult for the turtle and is an image of being overturned. The idiom "turn turtle" therefore means that something, usually a vehicle or boat, has overturned or capsized. The approach is to ignore literal or humorous interpretations and choose the option that correctly represents this overturned state.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall a sentence like "The car hit the divider and turned turtle."Step 2: Understand that in this context, "turned turtle" cannot mean moving slowly or playing a game; it clearly refers to the car flipping over.Step 3: Look at option C, "over-turn". This means to flip or turn upside down, which matches the image of a turtle on its back.Step 4: Compare with option A, "slow like a turtle", which focuses only on the speed of a turtle and misses the idea of overturning.Step 5: Option B, "turn like a turtle", and option D, "a game turtles play", are incorrect and do not reflect any standard idiomatic meaning. Thus, option C is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
If you consult an idiom reference, "turn turtle" will be defined as "to capsize" or "to turn upside down", especially in connection with ships and vehicles. For example, "The boat turned turtle in the rough sea," clearly means that it overturned. There is no recognised idiomatic use connected with speed or games.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, "slow like a turtle", describes a different characteristic of turtles and ignores the image of lying upside down. Option B, "turn like a turtle", is vague and does not correspond to any accepted idiom. Option D, "a game turtles play", is purely imaginative and has no basis in English usage. Only option C, "over-turn", correctly expresses the meaning of the idiom "turn turtle".
Common Pitfalls:
Because the word "turtle" is associated with slowness in many fables, some students mistakenly link "turn turtle" with being slow. Another pitfall is to treat idioms as if their meanings were obvious from the words alone, which is rarely true. The safe strategy is to learn idioms with example sentences and remember that "turn turtle" is almost always used for vehicles and boats that have overturned in accidents.
Final Answer:
The idiom "turn turtle" means to over-turn, that is, to flip upside down or capsize.
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