Question

question 20 of 20
read the following sentence:

when the team won the gold medal at the olympics, the coach told reporters that he was glad.

which technique does this sentence best illustrate?

a. irony
b. sarcasm
c. understatement
d. hyperbole

Explanation:

An understatement is a rhetorical device where something is presented as less significant than it actually is. Winning an Olympic gold medal is a major achievement, and the coach saying "he was glad" downplays the magnitude of the emotion or the significance of the event, which fits the definition of understatement. Irony involves a contrast between expectation and reality (not present here), sarcasm is mocking (not seen), and hyperbole is exaggeration (opposite of downplaying).

Answer:

C. Understatement