Read each of the following passages and identify which carefully chosen words and phrases contribute to the humor of each passage.
"Jabberwocky"
1. One, two! One, two! And through and through/The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!/He left it dead, and with its head/He went galumphing back.
A: ?
"Macavity: The Mystery Cat"
2. He's outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.)/And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard's./And when the larder's looted, or the jewel case is rifled,/Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke's been stifled,/Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair--/Ay, there's wonder of the thing! Macavity's not there!
A: ?
"Problems With Hurricanes"
3. Death by drowning has honor/If the wind picked you up/and slammed you/Against a mountain boulder/This would not carry shame/But/to suffer a mango smashing/Your skull/or a plantain hitting your/Temple at 70 miles per hour/is the ultimate disgrace.
A: ?
1.
vorpal blade
snicker snack
galumphing
That should get you started.
What do you think about the other two?
I'm sorry, but I honestly do not know! I am truly struggling with these.
What is funny about the mystery cat?
What is funny about the last one?
I can't help you unless you give me some idea about your thoughts on these two quotes.
2. What I find amusing about the mystery cat is the fact that this cat will only stay in a certain place or area where it can benefit for itself.
3. What I find humorous about the last one is that being lethally hit with a piece of fruit is considered a shameful way to die.
2. True. I chuckle over portraying the cat as a criminal who can't be caught.
3. Good.
Now, find specific words in the quotes that convey that humor.
1. I found words such as "vorpal blade," "snicker-snack," and "galumphing" inventive and unusual, rendering what was described in the passage humorous and less frightening.
2. ?
3. ?
1. In the passage from "Jabberwocky," the carefully chosen words and phrases that contribute to the humor include: "snicker-snack" (a playful and nonsensical phrase that adds whimsy), "vorpal blade" (a nonsensical and silly-sounding weapon), and "galumphing" (a humorous and awkward way of describing how the character moves).
2. In the passage from "Macavity: The Mystery Cat," the carefully chosen words and phrases that contribute to the humor include: "outwardly respectable" (a juxtaposition of appearances and reality), "cheats at cards" (a playful notion of mischief), "larder's looted" (an alliteration that adds a playful tone), "milk is missing" (a mundane but comical detail), and "trellis past repair" (an exaggerated and absurd situation).
3. In the passage from "Problems With Hurricanes," the carefully chosen words and phrases that contribute to the humor include: "smashing your skull" (an exaggerated and graphic description), "plantain hitting your temple" (an unexpected and ridiculous image), and "ultimate disgrace" (an ironic and exaggerated way of describing the severity of the situation).