Which English phrase matches the German 'einen akademischen Grad verleihen; erhalten'?

• A. to obtain a degree
• B. to study for a degree
• C. to award; receive/ obtain a degree
• D. to take a degree

Answer: (C)

This item tests how English expresses both sides of getting a degree: the institution granting it and the student receiving it. The German phrase implies both the act of awarding a degree by a university and the student’s action of obtaining it. In English, the institution’s side is best rendered as “to award a degree,” while the student’s side is “to receive a degree” or “to obtain a degree.” So a single choice that covers both ideas—“to award; receive/ obtain a degree”—fits most closely. That reflects the two-way sense of the German phrase.

Other options miss one part of the meaning: “to obtain a degree” focuses on the student receiving but doesn’t emphasize the awarding by the institution; “to study for a degree” describes pursuing it, not the conferment or receipt; “to take a degree” isn’t a standard English expression for this idea.