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 "I am given a free hand to run this business." You are asked what it means. The key phrase is the idiom "a free hand."

Step 2: Explain the concept To be given "a free hand" means to be given full freedom and authority to act or decide as you see fit, without interference or close supervision. It is a general idea of freedom to decide, not a permission for one specific action.

Step 3: Test each option

• A. am allowed to make my own decisions matches the idiom exactly. A free hand means freedom to decide how to run things.
• B. make my own appointments is too narrow. Appointments are only one possible decision, and the sentence does not limit the freedom to that.
• C. assist the workers willingly has nothing to do with authority or freedom. It is about attitude.
• D. alone can choose my executives is also too specific. It adds "alone" and "executives," which the sentence never states.

Step 4: Answer The best interpretation is A. It captures the general meaning of the idiom, while B and D narrow it to one task and C is unrelated.

Step 5: Exam tip In interpretation questions on idioms, choose the option that gives the general meaning of the phrase. Wrong options often take the idea too narrowly (like B and D) or change it entirely (like C). Related idioms to remember are "carte blanche" (full freedom to act) and "to give someone a free rein."