Question

anush took baby steps to school. he was returning after a month of staying at the hospital, and he had strangely missed everyone-even the sternest of teachers. for anush, anything was more fun than those white walls and the hard bed at the hospital. he was torn between the feelings of excitement and anxiety.
on one hand, anush was all better now; on the other hand, he had gained a lot of weight because of a long bed rest. he felt like an expansive balloon held to the ground by two fragile strands of threads. the doctors had told him he would be back in shape after exercising and eating better, but he was worried about how his friends would look at him. he had taken half an hour for a 10 - minute walk because of his hesitation. finally, he had arrived. there was no going back. he had seen the crowd.
anush saw the banner, the balloons, and the party hats. his friends had prepared for a celebration to mark his return. the crowd streamed at him with the speed of bees whose hive had been stoned. they took turns asking him how he felt and saying that he was missed terribly. nobody mentioned his weight gain or looked at him differently. his friends were genuinely happy to have him back.
gradually, anush felt comfortable in his own skin. his feet felt more firmly on the ground. the negative ideas he had about himself shattered like pieces of broken glass. his mind was now a mirror that reflected things more clearly. he was indeed back.
2
how does the author figuratively show that anushs friends are thrilled for his return?
a. by saying that they are genuinely happy for his return
b. by mentioning the banner, the balloons, and the hats
c. by stating that they have prepared for a celebration
d. by comparing their motion to that of swarming bees

Explanation:

A figurative language is a non - literal way of expressing something. Option A is a literal statement. Option B just lists items (banner, balloons, hats) which are not figurative. Option C is also a literal statement about preparation. Option D uses a simile (comparing the motion of friends to swarming bees) which is a form of figurative language.

Answer:

D. by comparing their motion to that of swarming bees