Question

read the passage from \ozymandias.\

i met a traveller from an antique land
who said: two vast and trunkless legs of stone
stand in the desert. near them, on the sand,
half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
tell that its sculptor well those passions read

which word from the passage indicates that the face on the statue is showing contempt?

• antique
• trunkless
• visage
• sneer

Explanation:

Analyze the question and target

The question asks which word from the excerpt of Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" indicates that the face on the statue is showing contempt.

Define the key term

Using the Diction knowledge point
Contempt is a feeling of disdain, scorn, or looking down on someone or something as beneath consideration or worthless.

Evaluate the options using textual evidence

Using the Poetic Analysis knowledge point

• antique: Means ancient or from a former era. It describes the land, not an emotion on the face.
• trunkless: Means lacking a torso. It describes the physical state of the stone legs, not an emotion.
• visage: Means a person's face or facial expression. It is a neutral noun referring to the face itself, not the specific emotion of contempt.
• sneer: A facial expression of scorn, hostility, or derision. A "sneer of cold command" directly conveys a look of contempt and superiority.

Select the correct option

The word "sneer" is the only option that directly indicates a facial expression showing contempt.

Answer:

• antique
• trunkless
• visage
• sneer (Correct answer)