Select the most appropriate idiomatic expression that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
He wanted to be a professional basketball player but given his height, luck was against him.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 1, i.e., the cards were stacked against him.
Idiom Concept: This idiom means circumstances or conditions were arranged in a way that made success very difficult or unlikely.
Explanation: Saying “the cards were stacked against him” expresses that the odds were unfairly or unavoidably against him—just like his height making basketball success unlikely.
Correction: He wanted to be a professional basketball player but given his height, the cards were stacked against him.
Final Sentence: He wanted to be a professional basketball player but given his height, the cards were stacked against him.
Conclusion: The correct answer is “the cards were stacked against him.”