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Difficulty: MediumFigurative Language and Figures of Speech in Context

Read the passage excerpt below and complete the statement by filling in the blanks with the correct literary device and its contextual tone.

"During the university senate meeting, the Vice-Chancellor described the ongoing infrastructure maintenance as a 'colossal victory over entropy', even though only two broken lecture hall doors had been repaired."

Answer:In this context, the phrase 'colossal victory over entropy' is an example of 【hyperbole】, which serves to highlight the speaker's 【ironic】 tone regarding the minimal work completed.

Answer

The phrase 'colossal victory over entropy' is an example of hyperbole (or overstatement/exaggeration), which highlights an ironic (or sarcastic/satirical) tone.
The expression 'colossal victory over entropy' is an extreme overstatement used to describe fixing just two doors, making hyperbole the correct figure of speech. Furthermore, using grandiloquent phrasing for a minuscule achievement establishes an ironic or sarcastic tone.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the relationship between the literal event and the phrase used to describe it.
Repairing only two lecture hall doors is a minor task, but describing it as a 'colossal victory over entropy' magnifies it excessively.
Gross exaggeration used for emphasis or effect is the defining characteristic of hyperbole.
2
Determine the contextual tone conveyed by this exaggerated description.
The stark disparity between the grandiose language and the modest reality creates a sharp contrast.
Using extravagant praise for a trivial outcome expresses an ironic or sarcastic tone.

Key Concept

Contextual interpretation of hyperbole and ironic tone
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Topics

Figurative Language and Figures of Speech in Context

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