Choose the most appropriate meaning/phrasal verb/word/verb for the sentence.

The only fly in the ointment was the broken microphone.

Question

Choose the most appropriate meaning/phrasal verb/word/verb for the sentence. The government keeps kicking the can down the road.

Option 1: Solving issues quickly

Option 2: Avoiding hard decisions by delaying them

Option 3: Making a strong decision

Option 4: Taking the easy route

AfterBoards · Accepted Answer

**"Kicking the can down the road"** is an idiom. Picture a can lying on the road — instead of picking it up and throwing it in the trash (solving the problem), you just kick it further ahead. The can doesn't disappear; you'll have to deal with it later. So this idiom means **to delay or postpone dealing with a difficult problem** instead of facing it now. **Option 2: Avoiding hard decisions by delaying them** — This matches perfectly. ✅ Let's confirm by checking the other options: - **Option 1: Solving issues quickly** — This is the opposite. The idiom is about *not* solving problems. ✗ - **Option 3: Making a strong decision** — Kicking the can shows weakness, not strength, because you're avoiding the problem. ✗ - **Option 4: Taking the easy route** — While delaying might *seem* easy, this phrase specifically focuses on **postponing** a problem, not just choosing something simple. "Taking the easy route" is a different idea. For example, taking the easy route on a test might mean guessing, but kicking the can down the road means you don't even attempt the test and push it to tomorrow. ✗ Hence, **Option 2: Avoiding hard decisions by delaying them** is the correct answer.

Choose the most appropriate meaning/phrasal verb/word/verb for the sentence. $$\newline$$ The government keeps kicking the can down the road.

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