In the following question, select the option that best expresses the meaning of the idiom "wear your heart on your sleeve".

Introduction / Context:
Idioms often use vivid images to describe emotional behaviour. The expression "to wear your heart on your sleeve" suggests that a person's emotions are openly visible, just like an object worn on clothing. Understanding this idiom is important for interpreting descriptions of personality in literature and everyday speech. The question asks you to identify the option that best captures this figurative meaning.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Idiom: "wear your heart on your sleeve".
• Options: a very bold person, a noble pure person, make one's feelings apparent, being overtly polite at all times, and hide one's emotions carefully.
• We assume general conversational English usage.
• The idiom is about emotional openness, not about courage or courtesy.

Concept / Approach:
The idiom "wear your heart on your sleeve" means to show your emotions openly, without hiding them. Such a person is easily read, because their feelings of love, anger, sadness or happiness are evident in their expressions and behaviour. It does not specifically say that the person is brave, noble or polite; rather, it describes emotional transparency. Therefore, the best paraphrase is "make one's feelings apparent" or "show your emotions openly".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the mental image: a person wearing their heart on their sleeve as if it were a visible badge, symbolising openly displayed emotions.Step 2: Examine option C: "make one's feelings apparent". This clearly matches the idea of showing emotions rather than hiding them.Step 3: Examine option A: "a very bold person". While openness can sometimes be linked to bravery, the idiom does not directly refer to courage; it is about emotional visibility.Step 4: Examine option B: "a noble pure person". This focuses on moral character, which is not the primary meaning of the idiom.Step 5: Examine option D: "being overtly polite at all times". Politeness is not the same as emotional openness; someone can be polite yet emotionally guarded.Step 6: Examine option E: "hide one's emotions carefully". This is actually the opposite of the idiom and would better match phrases like "keep a poker face". Hence, option C best expresses the meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider example sentences: "She wears her heart on her sleeve, so you always know when she is upset" or "He is not the type to wear his heart on his sleeve; he keeps his feelings to himself." In both cases, the idiom is clearly about whether feelings are visible or hidden. If we substitute the phrase "make his feelings apparent", the meaning of the sentence remains the same. Substituting "a very bold person" or "a noble pure person" would not fit as smoothly. Idiom references explain this phrase as being very open about one's emotions, which confirms option C.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A very bold person: Emphasises courage, which is not the core meaning of the idiom.
• A noble pure person: Focuses on virtue or moral purity, unrelated to emotional openness.
• Being overtly polite at all times: Involves social manners rather than emotional transparency.
• Hide one's emotions carefully: This is the opposite behaviour, closer to "bottle up your feelings".

Common Pitfalls:
Because idioms are metaphorical, students sometimes guess based on the emotional tone rather than the true meaning. The romantic sounding word "heart" might lead some to think of nobility or bravery, but the key idea lies in the phrase "on your sleeve", suggesting that your emotions are outward and visible. To remember this idiom, imagine a person whose emotional state is as easy to see as a colourful badge pinned on their clothing. That picture will remind you that it means "show your feelings openly".

Final Answer:
The idiom "wear your heart on your sleeve" means make one's feelings apparent (to show your emotions openly).