Took no notice of him vs. looked carefully at him

[Haihao]

English Idioms and Expressions, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #6 "Privacy", question 7

She looked straight through him as soon as he entered the room.

(a) turned round
(b) looked carefully at him
(c) took no notice of him
(d) didn't speak to him

English Idioms and Expressions, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #6 "Privacy", answer 7

She took no notice of him as soon as he entered the room.

Correct answer: (c) took no notice of him

Your answer was: incorrect
She looked carefully at him as soon as he entered the room.
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Sorry but I am really unable to realize (c) is correct. In my opinion, if (c) is inserted into the sentence, it's going to be incorrect both in meaning of the phrases and in logic of the sentence.

[Tamara]

Hmm. Interesting.
In Russian look through /see through can also be tricky for non-native speakers, as it actually can have two quite different meanings.

One meaning is 'to take no notice' (intentionally, in a demonstrative manner).
Another is to understand smb hidden intentions with great ease, to read him like an open book. ('I can see through him.')

By the way, do you use in English another saying to look through one's fingers at smth (Russian version)? In the meaning ‘to shut one's eyes to smth’?

(Sorry for my breaking into...)
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It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Alan]

Hi Haihao,

I can understand your comment about this expression not being 'logical'. What you have to realise is that idioms are not logical and this is an idiomatic expression. Look 'straight through' suggests that you don't accept the person is there and so 'look through' suggests that the person is invisible and so we come to the meaning 'take no notice of'

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Don't bank on it

[Haihao]

Hi Alan,

Thank you so much for your explanation. Now I understand the 'illogicality' is mine owing to my lack of knowledge for idiomatic expression. Thank you too, Tamara, for your tip. It's interesting and helpful.

Haihao