Idioms & Phrases – Choose the option that best explains the meaning. Sentence: It is time that professors came down from their “ivory towers” and studied the real needs of the students.

Introduction / Context:
“Ivory tower” is a metaphor for academic or intellectual isolation—being detached from practical realities. The sentence urges professors to abandon that seclusion and engage with students’ real needs. We should select the answer that encodes isolation and disengagement from everyday concerns, not a literal structure or fantasy realm.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Metaphor: “ivory towers.”
• Target domain: academia and practical engagement.
• Required meaning: seclusion/detachment from real life.

Concept / Approach:
The idiom criticizes aloofness in scholars or experts who focus on theory while ignoring practice. “Detachment and seclusion” summarizes this idea succinctly. The other options misinterpret the metaphor literally or shift to unrelated concepts like prison or dreams.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute: “came down from their detachment and seclusion.” This keeps the critical thrust and matches established usage in education policy debates.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A tower made of ivory: Literal and incorrect.
• Prison: Connotes confinement by force, not chosen seclusion.
• Dream lands: Suggests fantasy, not academic aloofness specifically.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming metaphors are literal. “Ivory tower” is idiomatic shorthand for out-of-touch scholarship.

Final Answer:
Detachment and seclusion