Question

tasha, clearly confused, stared at mrs. orchan— she didn’t know how to answer the question! her mind raced when she moved up and down, but she could not find any words to articulate.
“ms. henderson, will you please answer the question?” mrs. orchan asked sweetly.
once again, tasha was speechless. her blue eyes began to water under the pressure. what was that question? if only i had listened to the question, i wouldn’t be in this predicament, tasha thought.
“i’m waiting,” mrs. orchan said, drumming her fingers on the computer desk.
“ahem,” escaped from tasha’s mouth.
oh, no! why did i do that? i don’t have anything to say— i am completely unprepared for this class. what was mrs. orchan talking about earlier in class?..
tasha began as her thoughts trailed off.
“mrs. orchan, i’m sorry it took so long for me to answer your question. i just wanted to make sure that my answer was concise,” tasha said, trying to buy some more time.
with an icy smile, mrs. orchan said, “of course.”
suddenly, tasha’s eyes brightened. i know the answer! tasha realized.
read the following sentence from the passage:
with an icy smile, mrs. orchan said, “of course.”
josh is reading the passage and believes that the phrase “icy smile” is an oxymoron. why does he believe this?
a. the words “icy” and “smile” add to the passage’s dialogue.
b. the words “icy” and “smile” describe a person’s talking.
c. the words “icy” and “smile” are opposite in meaning.
d. the words “icy” and “smile” both have long i sounds.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: The words "icy" (suggesting coldness or formality) and "smile" (usually warm) together create a contrast in the passage's dialogue, adding to the character's demeanor (Mrs. Orchan's response after Tasha's concise answer). This makes sense as it shows a shift in her tone.
• Option B: "Icy" and "smile" don't describe a person's talking (they relate to the smile's nature, not the talking itself). Eliminate.
• Option C: "Icy" (cold, formal) and "smile" (warm, friendly) are not opposites in a strict antonym sense, but they create a nuanced tone, not opposite meanings. Eliminate.
• Option D: The length of the words is irrelevant to the phrase's meaning or the passage's context. Eliminate.

Answer:

A. The words "icy" and "smile" add to the passage’s dialogue.