What does the proverb “A closed mouth catches no flies” mean?
A. Keeping silent is the best policy.
B. It is important to speak your mind.
C. Being talkative can attract trouble.
D. Being quiet makes you miss opportunities.
Explanation:
The proverb “A closed mouth catches no flies” means that being talkative or overly expressive can lead to trouble or cause problems. The proverb uses the metaphor of flies being attracted to an open mouth, which represents trouble or unwanted attention.
In other words, the proverb suggests that sometimes it is better to stay quiet and keep your thoughts to yourself rather than speaking too much and attracting unwanted attention or causing problems for yourself.
Option A, “Keeping silent is the best policy,” is related to the proverb but is too broad and does not fully capture its meaning. Option B, “It is important to speak your mind,” is the opposite of the proverb and is incorrect. Option D, “Being quiet makes you miss opportunities,” is not related to the proverb and is incorrect.
In summary, the proverb “A closed mouth catches no flies” means that being talkative can attract trouble, and sometimes it is better to stay quiet to avoid causing problems for yourself.