Question

read the excerpt from \harrison bergeron.\ \ladies and gentlemen—\ said the ballerina, reading the bulletin. she must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous. and it was easy to see that she was the strongest and most graceful of all the dancers, for her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two-hundred-pound men. what is ironic about this excerpt? the ballerina is described as beautiful, but she is actually hideous. the news bulletin being read on the television is about harrison. the ballerina is able to read the news bulletin flawlessly while wearing a mask and handicap bags. the handicaps devised to conceal the ballerina’s strength and beauty actually accentuate them.

Explanation:

To determine the irony, analyze each option:

• Option 1: The text says the mask is hideous, but she must be beautiful (the mask hides beauty, not that she is hideous). Eliminate.
• Option 2: The excerpt doesn't confirm the bulletin is about Harrison. Eliminate.
• Option 3: The excerpt doesn't mention if she reads flawlessly. Eliminate.
• Option 4: Handicaps (mask, handicap bags) are to hide beauty/strength, but their size (big mask, big bags) makes her beauty/strength more obvious (accentuate), which is ironic (opposite of intended effect).

Answer:

D. The handicaps devised to conceal the ballerina’s strength and beauty actually accentuate them.