“...his foot-dragging over the matter had pushed his marriage to the brink.” What does "foot-dragging" mean as used in the novel?

Step 1: Analyze the question You're asked for the meaning of the idiom "foot-dragging" in the sentence: "his foot-dragging over the matter had pushed his marriage to the brink."

Step 2: Explain the concept "Foot-dragging" is an idiom from the phrase to drag one's feet. It means to deliberately delay, or to be slow and unwilling to take action on something. Idioms like this can't be understood word for word, so you have to use the context and the usual meaning of the expression.

Step 3: Work through the options

• A. Quick decision making – This is the opposite of dragging your feet. Also, quick decisions would not normally push a marriage to the brink in this context.
• B. Unnecessary excitement – Nothing in the phrase suggests excitement.
• C. Thoughtful consideration – This sounds positive and wouldn't usually damage a marriage. "Foot-dragging" has a negative tone, not a reflective one.
• D. Reluctance to act promptly – This matches the idiom. The husband delayed or hesitated over the matter, such as a decision or a commitment, and that frustrated his spouse. This explains why the marriage was close to breaking down.

Step 4: Answer The correct answer is D. reluctance to act promptly.

Step 5: Exam tip For idioms, think of the literal image. Dragging your feet means moving slowly, so the meaning is delay or reluctance. Also check the tone of the sentence: "pushed... to the brink" signals a negative behavior, which helps you eliminate positive options like A and C.