Multiple choice

Directions: In the following question, a part of the sentence is given in bold letters. Five alternative meanings of the bold part of the sentence are given below. Choose the correct one.

John spoke harshly to his uncle who was also his mentor and threw down the gauntlet before him.

  1. He behaved arrogantly.

  2. made unreasonable demands

  3. threw a vase

  4. ready to leave the place

  5. threw the challenge

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The idiom 'throw down the gauntlet' means to issue a formal challenge, originating from medieval knights throwing their gloves as challenge to combat. 'Threw the challenge' captures this meaning. The other options incorrectly interpret it as arrogance, demands, or literally throwing objects.