IXl skills after the first 7

What is verbal irony?

Verbal irony occurs when the literal meaning of what someone says is different from—and often opposite to—what they actually mean. When there's a hurricane raging outside and someone remarks "what lovely weather we're having," this is an example of verbal irony.

Define hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally: They ran like greased lightning. He's got tons of money. Her brain is the size of a pea.

Select the hyperbole in the passage. "Ain't you thinkin' what's it gonna be like when we get there? Ain't you scared it won't be nice like we thought?" "No," she said quick. "No, I ain't. You can't do that. I can't do that. It's too much—livin' too many lives. Up ahead they's a thousan' lives we might live, but when it comes, it'll on'y be one. If I go ahead on all of 'em, it's too much. You got to live ahead 'cause you're so young, but—it's jus' the road goin' by for me."

Up ahead they's a thousan' lives we might live, but when it comes, it'll on'y be one.

Select the hyperbole in the passage. Ann-Margret brought George Burns along to see Peter perform. George Burns was older than the century, older than time. To Peter, George's date with Ann-Margret represented Hollywood's last gasp of glamour. The star of Kitten With a Whip also liked Peter. "I remember someone had said something about me," Ann-Margret would explain in her Hollywood-mystic whisper, "and he got after that person. And I said thank you for standing up for me."

George Burns was older than the century, older than time.

Select the hyperbole in the passage. Nations are possessed with an ambition to perpetuate the memory of themselves by the amount of hammered stone they leave. What if equal pains were taken to smooth and polish their manners? One piece of good sense would be more memorable than a monument as high as the moon. I love better to see stones in place.

One piece of good sense would be more memorable than a monument as high as the moon.

Define Allusion

An implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing or to a part of another text

Select the personification in the passage. Little waterfalls splashed on the stones. Five-fingered ferns hung over the water and dropped spray from their fingertips. Pepe rode half over his saddle, dangling one leg loosely. He picked a bay leaf from a tree beside the way and put it into his mouth for a moment to flavor the dry jerky.

Five-fingered ferns hung over the water and dropped spray from their fingertips

Select the allusion in the passage. The campaign itself proved professionally fulfilling, but early on I realized that it would require my full-time focus. Foreign policy would be the governor's Achilles' heel against more seasoned candidates in the primaries and, eventually, in the general election. I knew that George Bush would look to me to help answer the inevitable questions about his readiness to assume the mantle of commander in chief.

Foreign policy would be the governor's Achilles' heel against more seasoned candidates in the primaries and, eventually, in the general election: The author compares George Bush to Achilles, a mythical warrior whose only vulnerability was his heel. This is an allusion.

Select the verbal irony in the passage. Grandson: A book? Grandfather: That's right. . . . Grandson: Does it got any sports in it? Grandfather: Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles . . . Grandson: Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try and stay awake. Grandfather: Oh. Well thank you very much. Very nice of you. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming. All right. "The Princess Bride, by S. Morgenstern. Chapter one: Buttercup was raised on a small farm in the country of Florin."

Grandfather: Oh. Well thank you very much. Very nice of you. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming

Select the personification in the passage. "Aline!" Aline, ugly, neat and enigmatic, appeared with the breakfast-tray. A delicious scent preceded her. Mrs. Clephane raised herself on a pink elbow, shook her hair over her shoulders, and exclaimed: "Violets?" Aline permitted herself her dry smile. "From a gentleman." Color flooded her mistress's face. Hadn't she known that something good was going to happen to her that morning—hadn't she felt it in every touch of the sunshine, as its golden fingertips pressed her lids open and wound their way through her hair? She supposed she was superstitious. She laughed expectantly.

Hadn't she known that something good was going to happen to her that morning—hadn't she felt it in every touch of the sunshine, as its golden fingertips pressed her lids open and wound their way through her hair?

Select the verbal irony in the passage. Mr. John Dashwood did not have the strong feelings of the rest of the family . . . but he promised to do everything in his power to make his sisters comfortable. His father was relaxed by such a promise, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to consider how much there might wisely be in his power to do for them. He was not an unpleasant young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be unpleasant, but he was, in general, well respected, since he conducted himself with manners in the discharge of his ordinary duties.

He was not an unpleasant young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be unpleasant, but he was, in general, well respected,

Select the simile in the passage. The desire to express myself grew. The few signs I used became less and less adequate, and my failures to make myself understood were always followed by outbursts of passion. I felt as if invisible hands were holding me, and I made frantic efforts to free myself. I struggled—not that struggling helped matters, but the feeling of resistance was strong within me. I generally broke down in tears and physical exhaustion.

I felt as if invisible hands were holding me, and I made frantic efforts to free myself.

Select the personification in the passage: He could not now believe the hunger. The eggs had awakened it fully, roaringly, so that it tore at him. After the sixth egg he ripped the shell open and licked the inside clean, then went back and ripped the other five open and licked them out as well and wondered if he could eat the shells. There must be some food value in them. But when he tried they were too leathery to chew and he couldn't get them down.

The eggs had awakened it fully, roaringly, so that it tore at him.

What is theme?

The underlying message that the author wants to convey,

Select the verbal irony in the passage. As I started forward practically the whole population of the quarter flocked out of the houses and followed me. They had seen the rifle and were all shouting excitedly that I was going to shoot the elephant. They had not shown much interest in the elephant when he was merely ravaging their homes, but it was different now that he was going to be shot. It was a bit of fun to them, as it would be to an English crowd; besides they wanted the meat.

They had not shown much interest in the elephant when he was merely ravaging their homes, but it was different now that he was going to be shot: Although the author describes the destruction caused by the elephant in casual terms, he actually intends to highlight it. This is an example of verbal irony.

Select the allusion in the passage. The engineer had listened to the enthusiastic sailor developing these imaginative projects. To attack this mass of granite, even by mining, was a Herculean task, and it was truly vexing that nature had not helped them in their necessity. But he answered Pencroff, simply by proposing to examine the wall more attentively, from the mouth of the river to the angle which ended it to the north.

To attack this mass of granite, even by mining, was a Herculean task,

Select the hyperbole in the passage. INT. TREE HOUSE - NIGHT A Boy Scout lantern. Professionally built structure. The gang's got sleeping bags. They're roasting marshmallows over a Cub Scout camping stove. Ham's brought personal s'mores supplies. HAM: Wanna s'more? SCOTTY: Some more of what? HAM: No. You wanna s'more? SCOTTY: I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have any more of nothing? HAM: You're killing me, Smalls. Look, these are s'mores stuff. Pay attention.

You're killing me, Smalls.

Joanna never thought of herself as athletic. She loved art class and did well in her other subjects, but in P.E. she always counted the minutes until it was over. So what did she think she was doing, signing up for a 5K fun run? Ha! More like a no-fun run, she thought. Still, it was for a good cause—raising money for diabetes research—and she wasn't one to back out of something without trying. With the run about two months away, she knew it was time to start training. The first time she ran, she made it about half a mile, started panting, and had to slow to a walk. The next time, she ran two-thirds of a mile. At this rate, it'll take a year before I'm ready for this run, she thought, discouraged. Still, she kept lacing up her running shoes and hitting the pavement. She ran at least three times a week—sometimes more—and kept increasing her distance and improving her pace. To Joanna's surprise, she also started seeing herself differently. Maybe she wasn't the fastest runner in school or able to take on a full marathon like her aunt Amy, but she could now run a few miles without falling over. It was more than she could do three months ago. Maybe someday she'd run a longer race, but first she had to get through the 5K. Finally, the day of the run arrived. Joanna pinned her bib to her shirt and positioned herself at the starting line. Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story? a)Goals can be achieved through persistence and preparation. b)It never helps to compare yourself to others. c)Even talented people need help from others sometimes.

a

Review the passage. The simile is shown in bold. A hundred-plus-miles-an-hour wind blew for an hour. It lifted up the awning on the café across the way, tore wooden shutters off old buildings, and even made the outer walls of our building shake—really shake, stone shaking, a scary sound. The winds lifted all the Christmas trees that lined the street right up and sent them blowing like tumbleweeds down the boulevard Saint-Germain. One of them still had its lights on, plugged in on a long cord, writhing and blinking. From Adam Gopnik, Paris to the Moon. Copyright 2000 by Adam Gopnik What is the effect of the simile on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It demonstrates how powerful the wind is. b)It implies that tumbleweeds are a common sight on the boulevard. c)It shows how light the Christmas trees are.

a

Review the passage. The simile is shown in bold. The desire to express myself grew. The few signs I used became less and less adequate, and my failures to make myself understood were always followed by outbursts of passion. I felt as if invisible hands were holding me, and I made frantic efforts to free myself. I struggled—not that struggling helped matters, but the feeling of resistance was strong within me. I generally broke down in tears and was physical exhaustion. What is the effect of the simile on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It creates a feeling of being trapped. b)It creates a feeling of being comforted.

a

Review the passage. The hyperbole is shown in bold. Ann-Margret brought George Burns along to see Peter perform. George Burns was older than the century, older than time. To Peter, George's date with Ann-Margret represented Hollywood's last gasp of glamour. The star of Kitten With a Whip also liked Peter. "I remember someone had said something about me," Ann-Margret would explain in her Hollywood-mystic whisper, "and he got after that person. And I said thank you for standing up for me." What is the effect of the hyperbole on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It creates a feeling of nostalgia. b)It creates an atmosphere of contempt. c)It creates a sympathetic tone.

a: The hyperbole creates a feeling of nostalgia. Describing George Burns as older than time reflects the author's overall interest in Hollywood's bygone era.

Review the passage. The hyperbole is shown in bold. Nations are possessed with an ambition to perpetuate the memory of themselves by the amount of hammered stone they leave. What if equal pains were taken to smooth and polish their manners? One piece of good sense would be more memorable than a monument as high as the moon. I love better to see stones in place. Adapted from Henry David Thoreau, Walden and on the Duty of Civil Disobedience What is the effect of the hyperbole on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It stresses the value of thoughtfulness. b)It stresses the value of ambition. c)It stresses the value of architecture

a: The hyperbole stresses the value of thoughtfulness. The author exaggerates how memorable the piece of good sense would be compared to a tall monument.

Review the passage. Identify the allusion. What does it mean? The engineer had listened to the enthusiastic sailor developing these imaginative projects. To attack this mass of granite, even by mining, was a Herculean task, and it was truly vexing that nature had not helped them in their necessity. But he answered Pencroff, simply by proposing to examine the wall more attentively, from the mouth of the river to the angle which ended it to the north. From Jules Verne, Journey to the Centre of the Earth What is the effect of the allusion on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It suggests that the task is a thankless one. b)It highlights the project's extreme difficulty. c)It highlights how important this project is.

b

Review the passage. The allusion is shown in bold. The campaign itself proved professionally fulfilling, but early on I realized that it would require my full-time focus. Foreign policy would be the governor's Achilles' heel against more seasoned candidates in the primaries and, eventually, in the general election. I knew that George Bush would look to me to help answer the inevitable questions about his readiness to assume the mantle of commander in chief. From Condoleezza Rice, Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary Family and Me. Copyright 2010 by Condoleezza Rice What is the effect of the allusion on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It implies that Bush thought foreign policy was important. b)It suggests that Bush lacked experience in foreign policy. c)It shows that Bush wanted to learn about foreign policy.

b

Review the passage. The hyperbole is shown in bold. In a time without film or television or recorded music, live performances provided the only opportunity for people to hear and appreciate music. What we now call "classical" music was an art form that was enormously important in lives of the privileged and unfortunate alike, and composers like Beethoven often were seen as little less than gods. Newspapers wrote obsessively about musicians and composers, and huge crowds gathered outside concert halls when a new work was being performed. What is the effect of the hyperbole on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It implies that composers were knowledgeable. b)It implies that composers were held in high regard.

b

Review the passage. The personification is shown in bold. Little waterfalls splashed on the stones. Five-fingered ferns hung over the water and dropped spray from their fingertips. Pepe rode half over his saddle, dangling one leg loosely. He picked a bay leaf from a tree beside the way and put it into his mouth for a moment to flavor the dry jerky. What is the effect of the personification on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It creates a lonely atmosphere. b)It creates a peaceful atmosphere. c)It creates a mysterious atmosphere.

b

Review the passage. The simile is shown in bold. Mrs. Sylvester was the secretary at Clarke Family Insurance. Mrs. Sylvester's voice was very high-pitched. She sounded like a cartoon bird when she talked, and this made everything she said seem ridiculous and possible—both things at the same time. When Raymie told Mrs. Sylvester that she was going to enter the Little Miss Central Florida Tire contest, Mrs. Sylvester had clapped her hands together and said, "What a wonderful idea. Have some candy corn." From Kate DiCamillo, Raymie Nightingale. Copyright 2016 by Kate DiCamillo What is the effect of the simile on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It contributes to a feeling of fantasy. b)It helps the reader imagine Mrs. Slyvester's voice. c)It suggests that Mrs. Sylvester's voice is fake.

b

Singer: (singing) 'Cause every time I see your face, I can't help but fall from grace. I know . . . Joey: Wow! This girl is good. Phoebe: Oh-ho yeah! A song with rhyming words. Oo, I never thought of that before. . . . Monica: (to Phoebe) Look at you. All jealous. Ross: Yeah Pheebs, come on, you two have completely different styles. What is the effect of the verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It suggests that Phoebe knows a lot about music. b)It suggests that Phoebe thinks that the singer is unoriginal.

b

Find the line with personification: Aline!" Aline, ugly, neat and enigmatic, appeared with the breakfast-tray. A delicious scent preceded her. Mrs. Clephane raised herself on a pink elbow, shook her hair over her shoulders, and exclaimed: "Violets?" Aline permitted herself her dry smile. "From a gentleman." Color flooded her mistress's face. Hadn't she known that something good was going to happen to her that morning—hadn't she felt it in every touch of the sunshine, as its golden fingertips pressed her lids open and wound their way through her hair? She supposed she was superstitious. She laughed expectantly. What is the effect of the personification on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It sets a mournful tone. b)It sets a threatening tone. c)It sets a joyful tone.

c

Identify the verbal irony. What does it mean? Grandson: A book? Grandfather: That's right. . . . Grandson: Does it got any sports in it? Grandfather: Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles . . . Grandson: Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try and stay awake. Grandfather: Oh. Well thank you very much. Very nice of you. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming. All right. "The Princess Bride, by S. Morgenstern. Chapter one: Buttercup was raised on a small farm in the country of Florin." What is the effect of the verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It demonstrates the grandfather's anger. b)It illustrates how boring the story is. c)It highlights the grandson's lack of enthusiasm.

c

Rachel walked up and down the aisles at Costello's Watercraft. She wanted something she and her husband, Arnel, could enjoy during their summer at the family lake house. The clerk pointed to a brand-new canoe. "This is our top seller. Dependable, good reviews, comes with a ten-year warranty." But while Rachel was inspecting the canoe, another customer approached her. "Are you sure you want to spend all that money on a canoe? I've got an old pedal boat I could sell you for a quarter of the price," he offered. Later that day, Rachel and Arnel went to the man's house to check out the pedal boat. It had a lot of dents, and the man admitted that he hadn't taken it out on the water in three years. But the price was too good to beat. "The boat would be sold in the condition it's in," the man warned. "All sales final." But Rachel and Arnel were already talking about the fishing gear they could buy with the money they would be saving. They bought the pedal boat immediately. When summer arrived, Arnel took the boat for a test run on the lake, while Rachel watched from the shoreline. The boat hardly went fifty feet before the front started sinking. Rachel's summer fantasy sunk along with it. She remembered the brand-new canoe she'd passed up and felt foolish. The pedals stuck as the boat sunk deeper, and Arnel had to swim back to shore. At least the fishing rods worked. Rachel and Arnel spent the summer catching perch and shaking their heads over their mistake. Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story? a)If you don't do your research, people will take advantage of you. b)Deep down, people always know what is truly best for themselves. c)Trying too hard to save money can cost you.

c

Review the passage. The hyperbole is shown in bold. "Ain't you thinkin' what's it gonna be like when we get there? Ain't you scared it won't be nice like we thought?" "No," she said quickly. "No, I ain't. You can't do that. I can't do that. It's too much—livin' too many lives. Up ahead they's a thousan' lives we might live, but when it comes, it'll on'y be one. If I go ahead on all of 'em, it's too much. You got to live ahead 'cause you're so young, but—it's jus' the road goin' by for me." From John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath. Copyright 1939 by John Steinbeck What is the effect of the hyperbole on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It suggests the importance of thinking about the future. b)It suggests that the future will contain dangers. c)It suggests that it is fruitless to think too much about the future.

c

Review the passage. The simile is shown in bold. If you could slice deep into the earth, you would find that it is arranged in layers. Geologists—earth scientists—believe that the topmost layer of rock, or crust, is between four and forty miles thick. Earth's crust is like an eggshell broken into ten enormous slabs and numerous smaller ones. These slabs, called plates, float on a layer of partially molten rock called the mantle—that is, the layer of rock between Earth's crust and core. What is the effect of the simile on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It suggests that the earth's crust is pale in color. b)It highlights how fragile the earth is. c)It illustrates that the earth's crust is fragmented.

c

Review the passage. The simile is shown in bold. Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him. From Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol What is the effect of the simile on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It indicates Scrooge's attention to detail. b)It illustrates Scrooge's intelligence. c)It illustrates Scrooge's unfriendly personality.

c

Review the passage. The verbal irony is shown in bold. As I started forward practically the whole population of the quarter flocked out of the houses and followed me. They had seen the rifle and were all shouting excitedly that I was going to shoot the elephant. They had not shown much interest in the elephant when he was merely ravaging their homes, but it was different now that he was going to be shot. It was a bit of fun to them, as it would be to an English crowd; besides they wanted the meat. What is the effect of the verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It asserts that the people respect the author's authority. b)It suggests that the people don't understand how destructive elephants are. c)It implies that the people are more interested in entertainment than their own homes.

c

Select the quotation from the story that most strongly suggests that the theme is Goals can be achieved through persistence and preparation. a)To Joanna's surprise, she also started seeing herself differently. b)Still, it was for a good cause—raising money for diabetes research—and she wasn't one to back out of something without trying. c)She ran at least three times a week—sometimes more—and kept increasing her distance and improving her pace.

c

Select the quotation from the story that most strongly suggests that the theme is Trying too hard to save money can cost you. a)The clerk pointed to a brand-new canoe. "This is our top seller. Dependable, good reviews, comes with a ten-year warranty." b)Rachel and Arnel spent the summer catching perch and shaking their heads over their mistake. c)The boat hardly went fifty feet before the front started sinking. Rachel's summer fantasy sunk along with it.

c

Review the passage. The verbal irony is shown in bold. Mr. John Dashwood did not have the strong feelings of the rest of the family . . . but he promised to do everything in his power to make his sisters comfortable. His father was relaxed by such a promise, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to consider how much there might wisely be in his power to do for them. He was not an unpleasant young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be unpleasant, but he was, in general, well respected, since he conducted himself with manners in the discharge of his ordinary duties. Adapted from Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility What is the effect of the verbal irony on the passage's meaning or tone? a)It suggests John Dashwood is more considerate than people think. b)It implies other people do not like John Dashwood. c)It suggests John Dashwood is not as nice as he appears

c:The verbal irony suggests John Dashwood is not as nice as he appears. The author's ironic statement that he is not unpleasant but is cold hearted and selfish suggests that he is, in fact, unpleasant.

Select the hyperbole in the passage. In a time without film or television or recorded music, live performances provided the only opportunity for people to hear and appreciate music. What we now call "classical" music was an art form that was enormously important in lives of the privileged and unfortunate alike, and composers like Beethoven often were seen as little less than gods. Newspapers wrote obsessively about musicians and composers, and huge crowds gathered outside concert halls when a new work was being performed.

unfortunate alike, and composers like Beethoven often were seen as little less than gods.