Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts : Interpret Figures of Speech in Context: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.5.A
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts
All Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #132 : Language
At the final track meet of the year, Brittany ran like the wind on her way to a first place finish and new school record.
The figure of speech “ran like the wind” most nearly means that Brittany ran
silently
quickly
clumsy
invisibly
quickly
The phrase “ran like the wind” means that someone ran fast or quickly. You can also tell by the context clues that she ran quickly enough to set a new record and win first place, so the context can help you realize that “quickly” is the best answer choice.
Example Question #133 : Language
The phrase “Blin eats like a _______” means that he eats _______.
Which of the following combinations would NOT complete the blanks above with a commonly-used figure of speech?
bull...angrily
bird...very little
pig...sloppily
horse...a lot
bull...angrily
The phrases “he eats like a pig,” “he eats like a bird,” and “he eats like a horse” are all common figures of speech. “He eats like a bull” is not.
Example Question #133 : Language
If someone is described as being “larger than life,” that figure of speech means that they are
extremely important
particularly loud
very heavy
unusually tall
extremely important
The figure of speech “larger than life” refers to someone who attracts a lot of attention and therefore is very important. It does not directly refer to actual size.
Example Question #134 : Language
If someone is described as being “as sharp as a knife” that figure of speech means that they are
so thin that their bones protrude
very smart
extremely violent
a good cook
very smart
The figure of speech “sharp as a knife” (or “sharp as a tack,” a similar usage) is used to refer to mental sharpness, describing someone who is highly intelligent and generally quick to have answers to challenging questions.
All Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts Resources
