Match each sentence excerpt on the left containing a figurative expression with its corresponding figure of speech on the right.
- The prosecutor pointed out that the oil firm's 'environmentally friendly' policy had resulted in the total devastation of three coastal estuaries.Irony (conveying a meaning directly opposite to the literal statement or situation)
- The naval commander reported to headquarters that fifty sails were spotted approaching the harbor at dawn.Synecdoche (referring to a whole entity by one of its constituent parts)
- During the intense interrogation, the detective noted the suspect's cold heat when confronted with the forensic evidence.Oxymoron (juxtaposing two contradictory terms side-by-side for paradoxical effect)
- The general declared to his weary troops that they would march to the ends of the earth to secure final victory.Hyperbole (using deliberate and extreme exaggeration for emphasis)
Answer
The correct matches pair the sentence describing an 'environmentally friendly' policy causing destruction with Irony; the sentence using 'sails' to represent ships with Synecdoche; the expression 'cold heat' with Oxymoron; and the statement about marching 'to the ends of the earth' with Hyperbole.
Each sentence excerpt correctly corresponds to its defining literary device: the ironic contrast between description and outcome pairs with Irony; using 'sails' for ships pairs with Synecdoche; combining adjacent opposite words in 'cold heat' pairs with Oxymoron; and exaggerating distance to 'ends of the earth' pairs with Hyperbole.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identification and Differentiation of Figures of Speech in Context