Question

which sentence relies on the connotation of the boldfaced word to convey meaning?

a. mom asked me to pick up some bananas from the market.
b. she was a wizard at solving complex math equations.
c. the lawyer made his case, and the jury listened closely.
d. karina went to the grocery store and purchased some nectarines and a peach.

Explanation:

Define connotation and denotation

Denotation is the literal, dictionary definition of a word. Connotation refers to the emotional, cultural, or figurative associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning.

Analyze the options

• A. bananas: Used literally to refer to the yellow fruit. This is denotation.
• B. wizard: Literally means a person with magical powers. Here, it is used figuratively to mean someone who is exceptionally skilled or talented at math. This relies on connotation.
• C. lawyer: Used literally to refer to a legal professional. This is denotation.
• D. peach: Used literally to refer to the round stone fruit. This is denotation.

Identify the correct choice

Option B is the only sentence where the boldfaced word relies on its connotative/figurative meaning rather than its literal dictionary definition.

Answer:

• (A) Mom asked me to pick up some bananas from the market.
• (B) She was a wizard at solving complex math equations. (Correct answer)
• (C) The lawyer made his case, and the jury listened closely.
• (D) Karina went to the grocery store and purchased some nectarines and a peach.