Match each sentence excerpt on the left containing a figurative device or connotative expression with its corresponding literary device or implied meaning on the right.
- The diplomat remarked that the two hostile nations had settled into a cold peace following years of border skirmishes.Oxymoron (juxtaposition of contradictory words to highlight a tense, uncomfortable truce)
- The relentless monsoon battered the corrugated roof, singing a harsh, metallic lullaby to the anxious villagers.Personification (attributing the human action of singing to inanimate rain)
- Upon discovering that the entire database was permanently lost, the IT director calmly stated, 'We have a minor glitch to resolve.'Understatement (deliberately representing a major catastrophe as minor or trivial)
- The politician's honeyed words concealed the sharp claws of his proposed fiscal policy.Metaphor (direct implicit comparison of deceptive rhetoric to sweet honey and harmful intent to claws)
Answer
1. 'cold peace' matches with Oxymoron; 2. 'singing a harsh... lullaby' matches with Personification; 3. 'minor glitch' regarding a database loss matches with Understatement; 4. 'honeyed words... sharp claws' matches with Metaphor.
Each sentence employs a specific rhetorical figure of speech: 'cold peace' pairs mutually exclusive concepts side-by-side (oxymoron), 'singing... lullaby' grants human faculties to nature (personification), describing a total database crash as a 'minor glitch' understates reality (understatement), and describing speech as 'honeyed' with 'sharp claws' makes a direct comparison without comparative conjunctions (metaphor).
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identification and Interpretation of Figurative Devices in Context