Q19
EnglishIdioms, Phrasal Verbs & Proverbs
From the given options choose the word/phrase nearest in meaning to the proverb: 'The early bird catches the worm.'
- a.People with good habits win the race.
- b.At dawn some birds can prey easily.
- c.Being first in the queue makes/creates big opportunities.
- d.The person who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will gain advantage over others.
Answer: (D) The person who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will gain advantage over others.
The proverb teaches that whoever acts first or seizes an opportunity earliest gains an advantage over those who delay, which option D states completely. Option A shifts the idea to 'good habits', B takes the bird and worm literally, and C narrows it to standing first in a queue. Proverbs on the same theme of timely action are 'Strike while the iron is hot', 'Make hay while the sun shines', 'A stitch in time saves nine' and 'First come, first served'; the humorous counter-saying is 'The second mouse gets the cheese'.