Question

question 14 of 20
read the following excerpt from the poem \mending wall\ by robert frost:
there where it is we do not need the wall:
he is all pine and i am apple orchard.
my apple trees will never get across
and eat the cones under his pines, i tell him.
he only says, good fences make good neighbors.
which best describes the effect of the metaphor on the overall meaning in
this excerpt?
a. it gives apple trees the qualities of grazing animals to emphasize
that the wall is unnecessary.
b. it compares two unlike things that are harmful to humans to show
that the wall is necessary.
c. it attributes human qualities to the wall in order to echo the idea of
apple trees being livestock.
d. it describes the difference between the bordering properties to
underscore the necessity of the wall.

Explanation:

The speaker uses a metaphor comparing apple trees (his property) to grazing animals. Apple trees "will never get across / And eat the cones under his pines" implies they won't trespass, so the wall is unnecessary. Option A aligns with this. Option B is wrong as there's no indication the things (pine and apple) are harmful. Option C's "attributes human qualities to the wall" isn't in the text. Option D contradicts the speaker's view (speaker thinks wall not needed).

Answer:

A. It gives apple trees the qualities of grazing animals to emphasize that the wall is unnecessary.