Craft and StructureHardFunction of an image in a literary passage
Craft and Structure practice question
The following text is from a novel.
On the last day, Sunniva walked the length of the beach and back, and then did it again, as if the sand were a page she could not stop reading. The tide came in behind her and took the words away.
Which choice best describes the function of the comparison of the sand to a page?
- A. It suggests that Sunniva is trying to hold onto the place before leaving, and that her efforts are being erased.Correct
- B. It shows that Sunniva is reading a book on the beach.
- C. It indicates that Sunniva is bored.
- D. It implies that Sunniva has forgotten the beach.
Answer: A. It suggests that Sunniva is trying to hold onto the place before leaving, and that her efforts are being erased.
Reading the sand, unable to stop; the tide taking 'the words': memory and its erasure.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. It shows that Sunniva is reading a book on the beach.
- The page is a comparison, not a book.
- C. It indicates that Sunniva is bored.
- Walking the beach twice on the last day suggests attachment, not boredom.
- D. It implies that Sunniva has forgotten the beach.
- She is trying to remember, not forgetting.
More Craft and Structure questions
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Which choice best describes the function of the underlined final sentence in the text as a whole? - Hard
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text? - Hard
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? - Hard
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? - Hard
What is the main purpose of the text?
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