Question

read the following sentence from the passage.
with an icy smile, mrs. groban said, \of course.\
jonah is reading the passage and believes that the phrase \icy smile\ is an oxymoron. why does he believe this?
a. the words \icy\ and \smile\ add to the passages dialogue.
b. the words \icy\ and \smile\ both have long /i/ sounds.
c. the words \icy\ and \smile\ describe a persons feature.
d. the words \icy\ and \smile\ are opposite in meaning.

Explanation:

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms. "Icy" implies coldness, unfriendliness, or harshness, while "smile" typically implies warmth, friendliness, or pleasantness. These two words have opposite meanings, which is the key characteristic of an oxymoron. Option A is incorrect because adding to dialogue is not related to being an oxymoron. Option B is incorrect as the sound of the words has nothing to do with being an oxymoron. Option C is incorrect as describing a person's feature does not make a phrase an oxymoron. Only option D correctly explains why "icy smile" is an oxymoron.

Answer:

D. The words "icy" and "smile" are opposite in meaning.