He lost interest in it vs. he lost his interest

[Garmasch]

English Idioms and Expressions, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #3 "A piece of cake", question 3

When he heard that the necklace had been stolen, he dropped it like a hot potato.

(a) he let it fall from his hands
(b) he suddenly lost interest in it
(c) he gave it to somebody else
(d) he hid it in the fridge

English Idioms and Expressions, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #3 "A piece of cake", answer 3

When he heard that the necklace had been stolen, he suddenly lost interest in it.

Correct answer: (b) he suddenly lost interest in it

Your answer was: incorrect
When he heard that the necklace had been stolen, he let it fall from his hands.
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Hi,

I just have a question here. According to the dictionary, the term "hot potato" prefers to some problem which is difficult to deal with, so why here we have "lost his interest"?

Thank you
Garmasch

[Alan]

Hi,

Yes, you're right, a hot potato is a problem or difficult situation but the expression:

[Khetu]

What I understood from the sentence is that he had stolen the necklace, when he heard that people knew about it, he dropped it to the ground in order not to get caught red-handed with it.

[Mister Micawber]

No, he had merely purchased stolen property unknowingly. I agree, however, that in the context given, the idiom could well mean that he 'dropped it suddenly as if burnt by it'.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Alan]

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Hi Khetu,

The whole point of this test is to show idioms in use and it isn't really possible to interpret an idiom literally as you have suggested in your comment. Take another idiom for example: It's like falling off a log, which means doing something very easy. What it doesn't mean is that you are standing on a log and when you come to the end, you fall off it.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Mister Micawber]

I'm afraid that this is one of those fringe cases, Alan. The question needs re-writing. Here are some reputable examples:

She was not amused with the funny-tasting bean and dropped it like a hot potato. And then glared at it.

"Some enterprising beggar tried to make off with this valise," he said. "I had come down from Jack's room, and was sitting in the library, when I saw him sneak up on the porch, and try to get away with it. He dropped it like a hot potato when I sang out to him."

"He took up the book; but seeing the owner suddenly appear, he dropped it like a hot potato."

By the way, do you know that our tests are being plagiarized? Have a look here: http://tieng-anh.com/intermediate-idioms/0003.php
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's