Q9
1 markMCQSection A

Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given : In the line 'warm, edible hugs that are a perfect comfort on a bleak day' the phrase 'warm, edible hugs' refers to __. (Paragraph 6) (A) comfort food that provides a sense of emotional security (B) the pancake that represents the history of the region (C) the choice of eating hot steaming pancakes (D) the food that gives you energy

Reading Skills — Unseen Passage
Reading Comprehension — Vocabulary in Context in an Unseen Passage (Pancakes)

Options

(A)comfort food that provides a sense of emotional security
(B)the pancake that represents the history of the region
(C)the choice of eating hot steaming pancakes
(D)the food that gives you energy
Official Answer

Option (A) — comfort food that provides a sense of emotional security, since 'hugs' figuratively conveys emotional reassurance, matching the context 'perfect comfort on a bleak day'.

edible hugscomfort foodemotional securitymetaphorbleak day

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark for selecting the correct option (A); no marks for any other option.

Hint

A hug gives comfort and emotional warmth, not history or energy — match the option that reflects that feeling.

Quick Oral Answer

'Warm, edible hugs' means pancakes act like comfort food — they give the same emotional security and warmth as a hug, especially on a bad day.

Analysis & Explanation

'Warm, edible hugs' is a metaphor: a hug gives emotional comfort, so calling pancakes 'edible hugs' means eating them gives the same emotional reassurance.


Concept

  • The context clue 'perfect comfort on a bleak day' confirms the phrase is about emotional comfort, not physical description.

Key Points

  • Option (A) matches both the metaphor (hug = emotional comfort) and the context clue — correct answer.
  • Option (B) wrongly shifts focus to historical/regional identity, which a hug does not convey.
  • Option (C) takes 'warm' too literally, reducing the phrase to physical description and missing the figurative sense of 'hugs'.
  • Option (D) focuses on physical energy/nutrition, not emotional comfort.

Common Mistakes

  • Choosing an option that is literally true of pancakes (they are warm, they give energy) but does not capture the figurative meaning of the specific word 'hugs' used in the phrase.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Selecting option (C) or (D) because they describe pancakes literally (hot, energy-giving) rather than figuratively (emotionally comforting).
  2. 2Confusing 'hugs' (emotional comfort) with 'history' (option B), which belongs to a different part of the passage.

Interesting Facts

The word 'comfort food' entered common English usage in the 1960s–70s to describe foods associated with childhood or a sense of emotional well-being.

Studies in food psychology show warm foods are often subconsciously associated with feelings of social warmth and security, which is likely the basis for the 'edible hugs' metaphor.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't option (D) correct if pancakes do give energy?

Because the specific phrase 'edible hugs' figuratively refers to emotional comfort, not physical energy — the question tests understanding of the metaphor, not general facts about food.

How can I recognise the correct option quickly in such questions?

Identify the key figurative word (here, 'hugs') and pick the option that reflects its true meaning (emotional comfort), ignoring options that are only literally true of the object.