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Difficulty: MediumFigurative Language and Figures of Speech in Context

Read the passage excerpt below:

"When the municipal council announced its plan to demolish the historic central market in order to build a high-end commercial complex, the market union leader remarked that the administration was merely 'offering a silk shroud to a starving man.' He emphasized that while grand architectural modernization sounded impressive, it offered zero sustenance to traders whose immediate livelihood was being dismantled."

What does the figurative expression 'offering a silk shroud to a starving man' mean in the context of the passage?

  1. Providing a superficial or luxury solution that fails to address a fundamental needAnswer
  2. B
    Distributing high-quality silk garments and clothing items to underprivileged community members
  3. C
    Offering respectful burial materials and ceremonial rites to deceased trade union leaders
  4. D
    Intentionally withholding essential food supplies to coerce vendors into supporting urban development

Answer

Providing a superficial or luxury solution that fails to address a fundamental need
The correct answer accurately identifies the metaphorical contrast between an extravagant, useless gesture ('silk shroud') and an immediate, vital necessity ('starving man'). In the context of the passage, the market union leader uses this figure of speech to criticize the council's high-end development plan for offering superficial prestige while destroying the basic economic survival of local vendors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the figurative expression in relation to the surrounding context.
The phrase compares a 'silk shroud' (an expensive, ornate item) to a 'starving man' (who urgently requires basic food).
Understanding the core imagery of the metaphor is necessary to decipher the author's underlying meaning.
2
Relate the imagery to the passage's situation.
The council offers grand architectural modernization (the 'silk shroud') while destroying traders' livelihoods (the 'starving man' needing basic survival).
Context dictates how the figure of speech maps to the real-world scenario in the text.
3
Synthesize the contextual meaning.
The expression signifies offering an ornate, impractical luxury in place of an essential human need.
This directly matches the choice describing a superficial solution that ignores basic necessities.

Key Concept

Figurative Language and Figures of Speech in Context
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Figurative Language and Figures of Speech in Context

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