For this question, select the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence.  Peter is a man of letters.

Analyze the question: The sentence uses an idiom, "a man of letters." You are asked to pick the option that best explains what the sentence means. Idioms must not be read literally.

Explain the concept: "A man of letters" is a fixed expression. It means a scholar or writer, someone who is learned and deeply involved in literature. Here "letters" does not mean envelopes and postal mail. It refers to literature and learning, as in the phrase "the world of letters."

Step-by-step solution:

1. Option A: Letter writing is his hobby. This reads "letters" literally, as mail. Wrong.
2. Option B: He likes to read a lot. A man of letters may read a lot, but the idiom describes accomplishment in literature and scholarship, not just a liking for reading. This is too weak and incomplete.
3. Option C: He writes letters a lot. This is again the literal reading. Wrong.
4. Option D: He is a great literary artist. This matches the idiom: someone distinguished in literature, a writer or scholar. It is the closest in meaning.

**Answer: D.

Exam tip: When you see "of" plus a plural noun in an English idiom question, such as "man of letters" or "man of the cloth," avoid the literal meaning. Ask yourself what the phrase means as a whole. The literal options (A and C) are usually the distractors. Also remember similar idioms: "man of straw" (a weak or insignificant person) and "man of means" (a wealthy person).