Question

the only ghost i ever saw
by emily dickinson
the only ghost i ever saw
was dressed in mechlin, - so;
he wore no sandal on his foot,
and stepped like flakes of snow.
his gait was soundless, like the bird;
but rapid like the roe;
his fashions quaint, mosaic;
or haply, mistletoe.
his conversation seldom,
his laughter like the breeze
that dies away in dimples
among the pensive trees.
our interview was transient, -
of me, himself was shy;
and god forbid i look behind
since that appalling day!
read these lines from the poem.
and stepped like flakes of snow.
his gait was soundless, like the bird.
but rapid like the roe;
which type of figurative language is used in each
line?
a. metaphor
c. simile
b. personification
d. alliteration
which best describes the meaning of the lines?
a. the ghosts footsteps were quick and silent.
b. the ghosts footsteps were quick and loud.
c. the ghosts footsteps were cold and silent.
d. the ghosts footsteps were cold and loud.

Explanation:

• For the first question (type of figurative language):
• A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words "like" or "as". In the lines "And stepped like flakes of snow. His gait was soundless, like the bird. But rapid like the roe", the word "like" is used to make comparisons.
• For the second question (meaning of the lines):
• "Soundless" means silent. "Rapid" means quick. So the description of the ghost's gait (which can be related to footsteps in a sense of movement) is quick and silent.

Answer:

• First question: C. simile
• Second question: b. The ghost's footsteps were quick and silent.