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Difficulty: EasyPoetic Imagery and Figurative Language

Read the lines of poetry below:

"The old man's words fell soft upon the ear,
Like autumn leaves upon a quiet stream."

Which figure of speech is primarily used in the lines above?

  1. SimileAnswer
  2. B
    Metaphor
  3. C
    Paradox
  4. D
    Alliteration

Answer

Simile
The correct answer is Simile because the poet explicitly compares the gentle delivery of spoken words to falling autumn leaves using the marker word 'like'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the two objects or concepts being compared in the poem.
The old man's spoken words are being compared to autumn leaves landing on a stream.
Understanding the core imagery requires isolating the two elements of comparison.
2
Examine the signal words connecting the comparison.
The word 'Like' introduces the second image ('Like autumn leaves...').
An explicit comparative marker such as 'like' or 'as' distinguishes a simile from an implicit metaphor.

Key Concept

Identifying Simile in Poetic Verse
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Topics

Poetic Imagery and Figurative Language

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