It didn't take long for the children

[Ariel]

Test No. incompl/elem-5 "Finish/End", question 5

It didn't take long for the children to ......... off the cakes and pastries that had not been eaten at the party.

(a) end
(b) ending
(c) finish
(d) finishing

Test No. incompl/elem-5 "Finish/End", answer 5

It didn't take long for the children to finish off the cakes and pastries that had not been eaten at the party.

Correct answer: (c) finish

Your answer was: correct
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Hi, I?m sorry cause i know my question has nothing to do with the subject of the test but could you please explain to me the meaning of "to take long for the children"?
thank you very much

[Torsten]

This means that the children managed to eat all the cakes and pastries in a very short period of time.

TOEIC listening, photographs: Checking a fireplace