NECO 2009 English Language · Question 27

This means that — From the options lettered A - E, choose the one that is the most appropriate interpretation…

Question

From the options lettered A - E, choose the one that is the most appropriate interpretation of the expression in italics The coach said that he would infuse new blood into the team in preparation for the next competition. This means that

A.members of the team would undergo blood transfusion
B.members of the team will be tested to determine their fitness
C.new players would be recruited to strengthen the team
D.old members of the team" would be served blood tonic to make them perform better
E.the coach was not satisfied with the performance of the team

Answer: C. new players would be recruited to strengthen the team

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question The expression "infuse new blood into the team" is an idiom. You are asked for its figurative meaning, not its literal one.

Explain the concept In English, "new blood" means new people who bring fresh energy, ideas, or skills to a group or organisation. To "infuse new blood" into a group means to bring in new members to revitalise it. Idioms like this should never be read literally. That is why options A and D, which talk about actual blood, are traps.

Step-by-step solution

A. Blood transfusion. This is a literal reading, so it is wrong.
B. Testing fitness. The idiom has nothing to do with fitness tests, so it is wrong.
C. New players would be recruited to strengthen the team. This matches the idiom exactly. "New blood" means new players, and "infuse" means to introduce them in order to strengthen the team. This is correct.
D. Old members served blood tonic. This is another literal reading and also contradicts "new", so it is wrong.
E. The coach was not satisfied. This may be implied, but it is not what the expression means. The question asks for the meaning of the expression, not a possible reason behind it, so it is wrong.

Answer: C

Exam tip When you see an idiom in an interpretation question, first ask: "Is this literal or figurative?" Eliminate the options that take the words literally (here, A and D). Then choose the option that captures the general idea. For "new blood", think "new people, fresh energy".

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