Question

read the excerpt from flannery oconnors \the life you save may be your own.\
the ugly words settled in mr. shiftlets head like a group of buzzards in the top of a tree.
the simile in this excerpt compares
○ mr. shiftlet to a group of buzzards.
○ the ugly words to the top of the tree.
○ a group of buzzards to the top of a tree.
○ the ugly words to a group of buzzards.

Explanation:

A simile uses "like" or "as" to compare two distinct things. In the excerpt, the structure "The ugly words settled in Mr. Shiftlet's head like a group of buzzards in the top of a tree" directly draws a comparison between the ugly words and the group of buzzards, using "like" to link them.

Answer:

the ugly words to a group of buzzards.