Meaning of underling and underbelly

[Liana M.]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #128 "Culinary delights", question 8

America is ......... at the front of the race to become the world's most obese country.

(a) undecidedly
(b) undeniably
(c) underbelly
(d) underling

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #128 "Culinary delights", answer 8

America is undeniably at the front of the race to become the world's most obese country.

Correct answer: (b) undeniably
_________________________

What is meant by underling, underbelly?

Liana

[Conchita]

An underling is a person who works for someone else, a subordinate.

The underbelly is the lower part of the belly ('belly' is informal for 'stomach/abdomen'). In a figurative sense, it means 'vulnerable area'.

Here is another definition of the word by

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=86227&ph=on

underbelly
noun [S] LITERARY
the weakest or most unpleasant part of something which is most likely to fail or be easily defeated:
a film exposing the sordid underbelly of modern urban society
Small businesses are the soft underbelly (= weakest parts) of the British economy, and they need as much government support as possible.