Question

western front, uses \to me the front is a mysterious whirlpool\ in the questions below

1. part a on page 59, what does the word annihilation mean?

a. the act of hiding from danger.
b. a large explosion, like from a bomb.
c. the act of destroying completely.
d. a kind of soldier in the german army.
part b: what part of speech is the correct answer to part a?

1. on page 55, paul explains soldiers relationships to the earth: \he stifles his terror and his friend in her silence and her security.\ the verb stifle means \to hold back; to end or quell by force; repress.\ paul could also have used the verb quiet, which means \to make quiet; to cause to become calm.\ consider the connotations of both words, and select the statement below that best captures the effect of the replacement of the word stifle with quiet.

a. the word quiet has a more negative, violent connotation than stifle, and its use would show the utter terror of the soldiers.
b. the word quiet has a more negative, gloomy connotation than stifle, and quiet makes it seem like the soldiers are depressed.
c. the word quiet has a more positive, joyful connotation than stifle and would make it seem as though the soldiers are celebrating in the earth.
d. the word quiet has a more positive, soothing connotation than stifle. quiet makes the statement seem like the soldier is finding peace.

Explanation:

Part A

To determine the meaning of "annihilation", we analyze each option:

• Option A: "Hiding from danger" doesn't match "annihilation" (which implies destruction, not hiding).
• Option B: "A large explosion" describes an event, not the act of annihilation (the act is destruction, not the explosion itself).
• Option C: "The act of destroying completely" aligns with the definition of annihilation (to annihilate means to destroy utterly).
• Option D: "A kind of soldier" is irrelevant to the meaning of annihilation.

The correct answer to Part A is "The act of destroying completely", which is a noun (it names an action/concept: the act of destruction). So the part of speech is a noun.

• Analyze "stifle" (meaning to hold back/quell by force) and "quiet" (to make quiet/calm).
• Option A: "Quiet" is not more violent/negative than "stifle"; "stifle" has a harsher connotation. Eliminate A.
• Option B: "Gloomy" and "depressed" don't fit "quiet"’s connotation (quiet is more soothing, not gloomy). Eliminate B.
• Option C: "Joyful" and "celebrating" are incorrect (quiet doesn’t imply joy/celebration). Eliminate C.
• Option D: "Quiet" has a more positive, soothing connotation (suggesting peace) compared to "stifle" (harsh suppression). This matches the context of soldiers finding peace with the Earth.

Answer:

C. The act of destroying completely

Part B