Question

“On a wing and a prayer the Indian team landed in Heathrow to take on their formidable opponents”. From the above sentence it can be inferred that the Indian team was

• A. high in spirits
• B. well prepared
• C. over confident
• D. under prepared
• E. buoyant

Hint:

Idioms often carry figurative meanings that differ from literal interpretation.
“On a wing and a prayer” specifically indicates inadequate preparation combined with reliance on hope or luck.
Always match the idiomatic meaning to the closest option in inference-based questions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: The phrase “on a wing and a prayer” is an idiom that implies attempting something with very little chance of success, often relying only on luck or hope.
Step 2: In the context of the sentence, the Indian team landed in Heathrow “on a wing and a prayer,” meaning they were not fully prepared or confident in their readiness. Instead, they were hoping for things to turn out well despite inadequate preparation.
Step 3: Option (A) “high in spirits” and (E) “buoyant” suggest positivity and enthusiasm, which do not fit the idiomatic meaning. Option (B) “well prepared” is the opposite of what the phrase conveys. Option (C) “over confident” also does not align with the cautious and uncertain tone of the idiom.
Step 4: The most accurate inference is (D) “under prepared.”