Question

review the passage. the hyperbole is shown in bold.
nations are possessed with an ambition to perpetuate the memory of themselves by the amount of hammered stone they leave. what if equal pains were taken to smooth and polish their manners? one piece of good sense would be more memorable than a monument as high as the moon. i love better to see stones in place.
adapted from henry david thoreau, walden and on the duty of civil disobedience
what is the effect of the hyperbole on the passages meaning or tone?
it stresses the value of ambition.
it stresses the value of thoughtfulness.

Explanation:

The hyperbole "a monument as high as the moon" is used to exaggerate the grandness of a monument. The sentence compares one piece of good sense to this extremely tall monument, emphasizing that good sense (a sign of thoughtfulness) is more memorable. The first option is incorrect as the passage questions the focus on building monuments (ambition to leave hammered stone) and instead promotes polishing manners (thoughtfulness). So the hyperbole stresses the value of thoughtfulness.

Answer:

It stresses the value of thoughtfulness.