Understanding the Idiom: Take in Their Stride

The question asks for the meaning of the underlined idiom "take in their stride" as used in the sentence: "People should learn to take in their stride the fact that they can sometimes fail."

Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meaning cannot be determined simply by looking at the individual words they contain. "Take something in one's stride" is a common English idiom.

Meaning of "Take Something in One's Stride"

The idiom "take something in one's stride" means to deal with difficulties or problems calmly and confidently, without allowing them to upset you or disrupt your progress. It suggests accepting challenges or setbacks as a normal part of life or a process, and handling them without much fuss or distress.

In the context of the sentence provided, learning to "take in their stride the fact that they can sometimes fail" means learning to accept occasional failures calmly and not be overly discouraged or upset by them. It's about resilience and maintaining composure.

Analysing the Options

Let's examine the given options in relation to the meaning of "take in their stride":

• Handle calmly: This phrase directly aligns with the core meaning of the idiom, which is to deal with something without getting upset or anxious.
• Reject completely: This means refusing to accept something at all. This is the opposite of taking something in your stride, which involves accepting and dealing with the situation.
• Overthrow fearlessly: This suggests actively challenging or defeating something, often with courage. While confidence might be involved in taking something in stride, overthrowing implies a confrontation, which isn't the primary meaning of calmly accepting and dealing with a situation.
• Protest strongly: This implies expressing strong objection or disagreement. This is also contrary to the idea of calmly accepting and dealing with a situation as implied by the idiom.

Conclusion on Idiom Meaning

Comparing the options, "handle calmly" is the phrase that best captures the essence of the idiom "take in their stride". It reflects the ability to face challenges, such as failure, without losing composure or becoming overly distressed.

Revision Table

Additional Information on Idioms and Phrases

Idioms are figurative expressions. Their meaning is not literal. Understanding idioms is crucial for comprehending native English speakers and texts. Here are a few characteristics of idioms:

• They often have cultural origins.
• Their meaning is fixed and cannot usually be changed by altering the words.
• Using idioms correctly can make language sound more natural and fluent.

Learning common idioms related to emotions, challenges, and reactions can significantly improve language skills, especially in contexts discussing resilience, problem-solving, and interpersonal communication.