Foreign Expressions and Their Meanings

Coup d'etat literally means 'stroke of state' in French and refers to a sudden, illegal overthrow of a government. While 'a political stroke' is not the standard English definition, it's the closest option among the choices. The other options (rebellious activity, twist of fate, civil war) are not accurate definitions.

 Bete noir is French for a person disliked. 

À la carte is a French culinary term meaning 'according to the menu' or 'by the menu'. It refers to ordering individual dishes separately rather than choosing a fixed-price meal with preset courses. Option A correctly captures this meaning.

En rapport is a French expression meaning 'in harmony with', 'in agreement with', or 'in a good relationship'. It describes a state of mutual understanding or compatibility between people or things. Option D correctly identifies this meaning.

Hubris is a Greek term referring to excessive pride, arrogance, or overconfidence. In classical literature, it often describes a character's fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. Option D correctly identifies this as 'excessive arrogance'.

Lingua franca is a bridge language used between people who share no native language. It's a common tongue that enables communication across different linguistic groups. Option B correctly identifies this as 'common language'.

Force majeure is a French legal term meaning 'superior force' or 'greater force'. It refers to unforeseeable circumstances beyond anyone's control (like natural disasters or war) that prevent fulfilling contractual obligations. Option A captures this concept adequately.

While 'resume' in English means a professional summary, the French 'résumé' (with acute accents) means 'summing up' or 'summary'. This question tests the original French meaning, not the English usage. Option D correctly identifies the French meaning.

Fait accompli is a French expression literally meaning 'accomplished fact'. It refers to something that has already happened or been done and is therefore irreversible. Option C correctly identifies this meaning.

Hara-kiri (also known as seppuku) is a Japanese term meaning ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was practiced by samurai as a way to die with honor rather than face capture or defeat. Option A is correct despite the typo 'itual' instead of 'ritual'.

Nouveau riche is a French term literally meaning 'newly rich'. It refers to people who have acquired wealth recently but may lack the cultural refinement associated with established wealthy families. Option A correctly identifies this meaning.

Avant-garde is a French term literally meaning 'advance guard' or 'vanguard'. In art and culture, it refers to innovative, experimental, or radically new ideas that push boundaries and challenge conventions. Option C correctly identifies this meaning.

Kowtow is a Chinese term referring to the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing to touch one's forehead to the ground. In figurative usage, it means showing servility or excessive deference. Option A correctly identifies this as 'servility'.

Haute couture is a French term meaning high fashion or high-end custom-made clothing. It refers to exclusive, handcrafted fashion created by renowned design houses.

Iota is the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet and is used figuratively to mean an extremely small amount or something negligible. The phrase 'not one iota' means not even a tiny bit.