ELA Figurative Language 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is an allusion in literature?
- An exaggeration used for emphasis
- A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work (Correct answer)
- Giving human qualities to non-human things
- A comparison using 'like' or 'as'
Correct answer: A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work
An allusion is an indirect reference to something outside the text — such as a historical event, myth, or famous work — that the reader is expected to recognize.
Question 2: "The stars danced playfully in the night sky" is an example of:
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Hyperbole
Correct answer: Personification
Personification attributes human behavior (dancing playfully) to non-human things (stars).
Question 3: In the sentence "She has a heart of gold," what type of figurative language is being used?
- Simile
- Metaphor (Correct answer)
- Personification
- Alliteration
Correct answer: Metaphor
This is a metaphor because it directly equates her heart with gold (a symbol of great value) without using 'like' or 'as.'
Question 4: Assonance in poetry refers to the repetition of:
- Initial consonant sounds at the beginning of words
- Consonant sounds within or at the end of words
- Vowel sounds in nearby words within a line (Correct answer)
- Complete words or phrases across multiple lines
Correct answer: Vowel sounds in nearby words within a line
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, as in 'the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'
Question 5: Which of the following best defines an oxymoron?
- An exaggeration used for humorous or dramatic effect
- Two contradictory or opposite terms placed together (Correct answer)
- A reference to a famous historical event
- Repetition of consonant sounds at the start of words
Correct answer: Two contradictory or opposite terms placed together
An oxymoron combines two contradictory terms to create a striking effect, such as 'deafening silence' or 'bittersweet.'
Question 6: "Don't judge a book by its cover" is best classified as which type of figurative language?
- Metaphor
- Simile
- Idiom (Correct answer)
- Personification
Correct answer: Idiom
This is an idiom; its true meaning — don't judge something by its outward appearance — cannot be derived from the literal words alone.
Question 7: Which sentence is the best example of alliteration?
- The thunder roared and the lightning crashed.
- Sally sells seashells by the seashore. (Correct answer)
- The moon glowed softly in the dark.
- He ran as fast as a cheetah.
Correct answer: Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words; multiple words in this sentence begin with the 's' sound.
ELA Figurative Language 2
What is an allusion in literature?