thrown in prision vs. thrown in the prison

[Lost_Soul]

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #42 "American Slang Words (16)", question 4

The armed robbers were quickly apprehended and then thrown in the slammer.

(a) prison
(b) cold
(c) work camp

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #42 "American Slang Words (16)", answer 4

The armed robbers were quickly apprehended and then thrown in the prison.

Correct answer: (a) prison

Your answer was: correct
_________________________

What is a better way to put it, considering the context of the sentence:
a. He was thrown in prison
b. He was thrown in the prison ?

Many thanks !
Alex.

[Yankee]

Hi Alex

If the reference is not to a particular prison, you would omit the word 'the' as follows:

- thrown in prison
- thrown in jail

BUT if you use 'slammer', you need to include the word 'the'.

(AmE)
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

Hi Alex

Yes, the way the test question is currently programmed is a bit misleading. That problem could possibly be solved this way, for example:

[Torsten]

We've removed the article and so the sentence will soon read "... in prison".

TOEIC listening, photographs: In a hair salon