Okon's company took a hit last year?

Analyze the question: You are asked to choose the option that best explains the meaning of the sentence "Okon's company took a hit last year." The key expression is the idiom "took a hit."

Explain the concept: To "take a hit" means to suffer a loss, setback, or damage. It is often used for businesses, finances, or reputations that are negatively affected. The word "hit" here is not literal, as nobody physically struck the company. It describes a blow to the company's performance.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Option A: "His company improved last year." Improvement is the opposite of suffering a hit. ❌
2. Option B: "His company made a huge success last year." Success is also the opposite of a setback. ❌
3. Option C: "His company was badly damaged last year." This matches the idea of suffering a blow or loss. A company "taking a hit" has been negatively affected, so "badly damaged" captures the meaning. ✅
4. Option D: "His company was established last year." The sentence says nothing about when the company was founded. ❌

Answer: C. His company was badly damaged last year.

"Damaged" here is figurative, meaning harmed financially or in its operations.

Exam tip: For idiom questions, ask yourself whether the expression carries a positive or negative sense. "Took a hit," "took a beating," and "suffered a blow" are all negative, so you can quickly eliminate the options that describe improvement or success (A and B) and then check the remaining options against the context.