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Reader question: What is the best answer to the following multiple-choice question, and, precisely, what does "hot air" mean?

You know what they're like. They just talked a lot of hot air -- means: ..........

(a) unclear sentences

(b) empty promises

(c) indefinite plans

(d) powerful words

My comments:

The closest and therefore correct answer is (b), empty promises.

"Hot air" refers to the breath one lets out as they speak. When we point out what they say is "a lot of hot air" – think about a hot-air balloon – we mean to say it's all empty talk.

If promises are "a lot of hot air", don't believe them.

Sometimes boastful remarks are referred to as "a lot of hot air", that means they are bragging to impress people – don't take them seriously.

Also common is the phrase "he's full of hot air".

I'm too straightforward this time, I am afraid. Perhaps I should have beat about the bush a bit before giving the answer. But the genie is out. I have no way of putting it back into the bottle.

So, that is that. Now let us examine some real examples from the media.

By the way, the US election is coming down to the final stretch and make sure you tune in to US candidates in particular and politicians in general for "hot air" – there's gallons and barrels of it produced daily because, unlike oil, it's cheap.

Now, I'm not sure if this is an absolutely fair assessment because there is at least something real in US elections – a president will be elected and that is definitely not "hot air".

Anyways, here are examples of "hot air", which the Merriam-Webster dictionary says dates back to 1873.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson has hit back at Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon's comments that the Manchester United manager is "senile" by reminding him that he still has something the Spanish club wanted - Cristiano Ronaldo.

Calderon had responded to comments made by Ferguson about the club's links to General Franco by claiming the Manchester United manager's ramblings were those of an old man.

"I won't waste time answering him. I admire his history but recently he has gone a bit senile," Calderon said on Thursday.

Ferguson, with a hint of a smile, hit back in his weekly press conference ahead of his team's match with Hull City. "Calderon has a few strange things to say every week," he said. "There is a lot of hot air comes out of that man."

- Fergie hits back in Calderon war of words, ESPNSoccernet.com, October 31, 2008.

2. From a reader's comment: "I am a college student who is voting tomorrow! I am voting for . . . drum roll, please . . . JOHN MCCAIN!! Obama is so full of hot air – all rhetoric no substance. His only substance came when he said he would like to spread the wealth around."

- Collegiate wisdom: Obama full of hot air, all rhetoric, no substance, theamericansentinel.com, November 3, 2008.

3. Sen. John McCain may be the combat veteran and son and grandson of admirals, but he rates only a D when it comes to supporting veterans issues, according to the "Congressional Report Card" just issued by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Sen. Barack Obama is no veteran, but his votes in the U.S. Senate over the past year earned him a B, says IAVA executive director Paul Rieckhoff.

The report card rates every member of the Senate and House, he said, and with it "people can find out who in Washington really supports Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and who's full of hot air."

- McCain Gets a 'D' from Vets Group, October 07, 2008, Military.com.

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.