Question

authors craft figurative language
authors use literary devices for specific purposes. for example, they might use hyperbole and
understatement to add humor or to create satire in their writing. these devices also contribute
to a storys mood, or emotional atmosphere, and may also help the author clarify meaning or
present the overall message in a work.

• hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration or overstatement that the author uses for a specific

purpose. the sentence this book weighs a ton! is an example of hyperbole. the book does not
really weigh that much. the use of hyperbole emphasizes in a humorous way that the book is
very heavy.

• understatement is the opposite of hyperbole. it deliberately downplays the importance or

seriousness of an event or idea. describing the weather as \a bit chilly\ when the thermometer
reads 10 degrees below zero is an example of understatement. like hyperbole, understatement
can be used for a variety of purposes, such as creating humor or emphasizing the irony in a
situation.
a. directions: read each item. then, on the line, write h if the item contains an example
of hyperbole. write u if it contains an example of understatement.

1. ______ ive had this shirt forever. its as old as the hills.
2. ______ josh thought that having to work the morning shift was a hundred times worse

than working the evening shift.

1. ______ i got the highest possible score on that exam. i feel okay about it.
2. ______ yes, these are casts on my arms and legs. i had a little accident while skiing.
3. ______ im so excited about the tickets. ive been dying to see this band in concert.
4. ______ annalee just won the lottery, so i imagine shes added a few dollars to her

savings account.
b. directions: read the following excerpt from \a tale of two cities,\ by charles dicken
then answer the question.
there was a steaming mist in all the hollows, and it had roamed in its forlornness up
the hill, like an evil spirit, seeking rest and finding none. a clammy and intensely cold
mist, it made its slow way through the air in ripples that visibly followed an
overspread one another, as waves on an unwholesome sea might do.
______ which of these best describes the mood of the passage?
a. energetic c. mysterious
b. angry d. light - hearted

Explanation:

Part A (Identifying Hyperbole (H) or Understatement (U))

1. Item 1: "I’ve had this shirt forever. It’s as old as the hills."

• The phrase "as old as the hills" and "forever" are exaggerations (hyperbole) to emphasize the shirt's age.
• Answer: H

1. Item 2: "Josh thought that having to work the morning shift was a hundred times worse than working the evening shift."

• "A hundred times worse" is an intentional exaggeration (hyperbole) to stress Josh’s dislike of the morning shift.
• Answer: H

1. Item 3: "I got the highest possible score on that exam. I feel okay about it."

• Getting the highest score is a major achievement, but saying "I feel okay" downplays its significance (understatement).
• Answer: U

1. Item 4: "Yes, these are casts on my arms and legs. I had a little accident while skiing."

• Having casts on multiple limbs implies a serious accident, but calling it "a little accident" downplays the severity (understatement).
• Answer: U

1. Item 5: "I’m so excited about the tickets. I’ve been dying to see this band in concert."

• "Dying to see" is an exaggeration (hyperbole) to emphasize excitement.
• Answer: H

1. Item 6: "Annalee just won the lottery, so I imagine she’s added a few dollars to her savings account."

• Winning the lottery means a massive financial gain, but "added a few dollars" downplays the amount (understatement).
• Answer: U

Part B (Mood of the Passage from A Tale of Two Cities)

The passage describes a "steaming mist" that "roamed... like an evil spirit, seeking rest and finding none" and a "clammy and intensely cold mist" moving "like waves on an unwholesome sea." These descriptions create a spooky, uncertain atmosphere.

• Option a (energetic): The mist is described as moving "slowly"—not energetic. Eliminate.
• Option b (angry): The mist is compared to an "evil spirit" but not explicitly angry. Eliminate.
• Option c (mysterious): The eerie, unsettling descriptions of the mist (like an evil spirit, unwholesome sea) create a mysterious mood.
• Option d (light - hearted): The tone is dark and foreboding, not light - hearted. Eliminate.

Answer:

c. mysterious