The Class captain got cold feet when he was asked to lead the protest. This means that the class captain…

Step 1: Analyze the question The question tests your knowledge of idioms. The idiom is "got cold feet", and you must choose the option that best gives its meaning.

Step 2: Explain the concept "To get cold feet" means to suddenly lose the courage or confidence to do something you had planned or been asked to do, usually because of fear or nervousness about the consequences. For example: "The groom got cold feet and didn't show up at the wedding."

Step 3: Examine the options

• A. nervous: This is close. Someone with cold feet is often nervous, but "nervous" describes a general feeling of anxiety. A nervous person may still go ahead and do the thing.
• B. afraid: This fits best. The captain was asked to lead the protest and became fearful, so he backed away. "Cold feet" implies fear strong enough to make someone hesitate or withdraw.
• C. concerned: This means worried or caring about something. It is too mild and does not capture the loss of courage.
• D. calm: This is the opposite of the idiom's meaning.

Step 4: Choose the answer The choice is between A and B. "Cold feet" is about being frightened to the point of backing out, not just feeling uneasy. afraid**, which agrees with this reasoning.

Answer: B. afraid

Tip: For idiom questions, eliminate the opposite meaning first (here, "calm"). Then pick the option that reflects the result of the feeling, not just the feeling. Cold feet leads to backing out, which comes from fear. Other similar idioms to remember are "lily-livered" (cowardly) and "to chicken out" (to withdraw from fear).