The committee's proposal, though ambitious, was dismissed as "a bridge too far" by senior officials. In this context, "a bridge t…

Question

The committee's proposal, though ambitious, was dismissed as "a bridge too far" by senior officials.

In this context, "a bridge too far" suggests that the proposal was:

1. A. Poorly structured and lacking practical detail
2. B. Conceptually sound but politically unpopular
3. C. Excessively ambitious beyond what was feasible or acceptable (Correct answer)
4. D. Intentionally provocative to test institutional boundaries

Correct Answer

Option C — C

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option C.

Key Points

• excessively ambitious beyond what was feasible or acceptable.
• The idiom "a bridge too far" means an over-ambitious step that goes further than is wise or achievable.
• It comes from the 1944 WWII operation Market Garden (and Cornelius Ryan's book/film of that name), where an advance overreached and failed.
• So describing the proposal as a bridge too far means it was too ambitious to be feasible — option C. The other options describe structure (A), popularity (B) or provocation (D), none of which is what the idiom conveys.

Exam Tip

• knowing an idiom's origin often fixes its meaning — 'a bridge too far' literally recalls an over-reaching military objective.

Additional Information

• "A bridge too far" comes from the 1944 Allied airborne operation Market Garden, whose final objective at Arnhem proved unattainable — later the title of a 1974 book and 1977 film.
• It now describes an ambition that overreaches what is realistically achievable.
• Related idioms: bite off more than one can chew, overplay one's hand and reach for the moon.