The government has promised to pay our gratuity, we need to have our fingers crossed.

Analyze the question

The sentence uses an idiom: "to have our fingers crossed." You are asked to pick the option that best explains the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Explain the concept

"Keep your fingers crossed" means to hope that things will turn out well, usually when the outcome is uncertain. The gesture comes from the old superstition that crossing your fingers brings good luck.

Step-by-step solution

1. The government has promised to pay the gratuity, but the payment has not yet been made.
2. The speaker says "we need to have our fingers crossed". This means they are waiting and hoping the promise will be kept.
3. Check each option: • A. We should ignore the promise: This is wrong. Crossing fingers shows hope, not dismissal. • B. We should be united in purpose: This is wrong. The idiom is not about unity or teamwork. • C. We should remain hopeful: This is correct. It matches the meaning of the idiom exactly. • D. The promise would exchange handshake: This makes no sense in context.

Answer: The correct option is C. We should remain hopeful.

Tip: For idiom questions, first work out the literal situation (a promise not yet fulfilled). Then pick the option that matches the emotion or attitude, here hope mixed with uncertainty. Other useful idioms of this kind: "touch wood" (hoping to avoid bad luck) and "hold your breath" (waiting anxiously).