The French classes were always funny because we considered French a strange tongue.

Analyze the question

The italicized expression is not marked in the text, but from the sentence, "a strange tongue" is the most likely candidate. The question asks which option is nearest in meaning to it. (Note: "strange" is the key adjective, and "tongue" here means "language".)

Explain the concept

"Tongue" can mean the organ in your mouth, but it also means a language (as in "mother tongue"). "Strange" can mean either odd/peculiar or unfamiliar/not from one's own place. In context, French is a language that is not the students' own, so "strange tongue" suggests a foreign language.

Step-by-step solution

1. Identify the phrase: "a strange tongue" = a strange language.
2. Test each option: • A. Awkward: describes something clumsy or difficult. It does not capture "tongue" as a language. • B. Foreign: a language from another country, not one's own. It fits "strange tongue" well, since French is not native to Nigerian students. • C. Funny: this is already used in the sentence and is not a synonym for the italicized expression. • D. Uninteresting: this contradicts the idea that the classes were funny.
3. The best match is foreign, because "strange" here means unfamiliar and "tongue" means language.

Answer: B. Foreign

Exam tip

When a word has more than one meaning (like "tongue" or "strange"), use the rest of the sentence to decide which meaning applies. Also watch for options that repeat words from the sentence (like "funny"), as they are often distractors.