After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations of the sentence is given. Choose the…

Step 1: Analyze the question The sentence is: "His decision to reconcile with his former agent paid off." We need to find what "paid off" means here.

Step 2: Explain the concept "Paid off" is a phrasal verb (an idiom). When an action or decision "pays off," it means it brings success or a good result, usually after some effort or risk.

Examples:

• "Her hard work paid off when she got an A in WAEC." (the work led to success)
• "Their investment paid off." (it brought profit)

Step 3: Test each option

• A. yielded positive results: This matches the meaning of "paid off" exactly. The decision to reconcile was beneficial.
• B. cost him a lot of money: This confuses "paid" with spending money. It's a literal reading and is wrong.
• C. was unsuccessful: This is the opposite of "paid off."
• D. caused him some trouble: A negative result also contradicts "paid off."

Step 4: Answer The reconciliation yielded positive results, which is option A. (Note: "yieled" in the option is just a typing error for "yielded.")

Exam tip: For idiom questions, don't read the words literally. "Paid off" has nothing to do with spending money. A good memory trick: "Pay off" = "Pay-back with profit", meaning your effort is rewarded. Also remember that if the idiom is used without a negative word such as "didn't" or "never," it almost always means success.