Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Act in a way that is likely to incur problems or difficulties.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of the idiom ask for trouble. Idioms are fixed expressions whose meanings cannot always be guessed from the individual words. They are very common in spoken and written English, so mastering them is essential for exam success and real life communication.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The expression ask for trouble appears in contexts where someone behaves in a way that is almost certain to lead to problems. The options range from descriptions of behaviour to character traits. You must pick the one that captures the idea of inviting difficulties through careless or risky actions.
Concept / Approach:
In everyday English, if you say Someone is asking for trouble, you mean that the person is doing something unwise that will probably create difficulties. The phrase does not literally mean that the person wants trouble, but that their actions make trouble very likely. Therefore, the correct explanation must stress behaviour that leads to problems, not simply being clumsy or questioning too much.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall examples such as Driving so fast in the rain is asking for trouble or If you ignore safety rules, you are asking for trouble.Step 2: Notice that in these examples, the focus is on actions that increase the risk of negative consequences.Step 3: Compare this idea with option Act in a way that is likely to incur problems or difficulties, which matches the sense exactly.Step 4: Examine the other options and see that they describe specific types of people or behaviours that do not necessarily involve inviting trouble.Step 5: Select the option that generalises the idea of risky behaviour leading to problems.
Verification / Alternative check:
Try substituting the chosen explanation back into the idiom: He is asking for trouble means He is acting in a way that is likely to incur problems or difficulties. The sentences line up in meaning. None of the other options can replace ask for trouble in such examples without changing the sense. For instance, He is a clumsy person who keeps making mistakes does not fit grammatically or semantically in place of the idiom.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Be the self appointed guardian of your neighbourhood describes a particular role, not the general idea of inviting trouble, even though such a person might sometimes face danger. A clumsy person who keeps making mistakes refers to lack of skill, not deliberate risky behaviour. A person who has no work is bound to create trouble for others introduces the idea of idleness, which is unrelated to the idiom meaning. To ask many questions about every small issue describes inquisitive behaviour, not necessarily actions that create risk. None of these options capture the core idea of bringing problems on yourself by acting carelessly.
Common Pitfalls:
Some students think literally and interpret ask for trouble as requesting trouble from others, or they connect it with being troublesome in general. Others may be distracted by options that mention trouble directly but change the structure completely. Always recall how the idiom is used in real sentences and match that usage to the most accurate paraphrase given in the options.
Final Answer:
The idiom ask for trouble means Act in a way that is likely to incur problems or difficulties.
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