Read this excerpt from Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi:
She is long and sharp and trim and pretty; she has two tall, fancy-topped chimneys, with a gilded device of some kind swung between them; a fanciful pilot-house, all glass and "gingerbread," perched on top of the "texas" deck behind them.
Which of these devices is most clearly shown here?
A.
Hyperbole
B.
Imagery
C.
Metaphor
D.
Humor
B. Imagery
The correct answer is B. Imagery.
Imagery is a literary device that appeals to the reader's senses, using vivid language to create mental images. In the excerpt, Mark Twain uses descriptive language to paint a visual image of the steamboat. He mentions the boat being "long and sharp and trim and pretty," along with specific details such as "two tall, fancy-topped chimneys" and a "fanciful pilot-house, all glass and 'gingerbread.'" These details evoke a clear visual image in the reader's mind.
To arrive at this answer, you can analyze the text and identify the descriptive language used to create a visual image. By understanding the definition and purpose of imagery, you can distinguish it from the other literary devices mentioned in the options (hyperbole, metaphor, and humor).