Question

read the excerpt from first generation of dreaming in cuban. he stops at the ocean’s edge, smiles almost shyly, as if he fears disturbing her, and stretches out a colossal hand. his blue eyes are like lasers in the night. the beams bounce off his fingernails, five hard blue shields. they scan the beach, illuminating shells and sleeping gulls, then focus on her. the porch turns blue, ultraviolet. her hands, too, are blue. celia squints through the light, which dulls her eyesight and blurs the palms on the shore. which is an example of a hyperbole? 〇 smiles almost shyly, as if he fears disturbing her 〇 and stretches out a colossal hand 〇 his blue eyes are like lasers in the night. 〇 the porch turns blue, ultraviolet.

Explanation:

To identify a hyperbole, we recall that a hyperbole is an exaggeration not meant to be taken literally.

• "smiles almost shyly, as if he fears disturbing her" is a description of behavior, not an exaggeration.
• "and stretches out a colossal hand" uses "colossal" to exaggerate the size of the hand, which is a hyperbole.
• "His blue eyes are like lasers in the night" is a simile (using "like"), not a hyperbole.
• "The porch turns blue, ultraviolet" is a description of color, not an exaggeration.

Answer:

B. "and stretches out a colossal hand"