Word Meaning in the Preface to A Dictionary of the English Language — Cumulative exam
Question 21 • SLAE 26-27 ENGLISH 12.1
Read the excerpt from Act I of Hamlet.Ghost: Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, With juice of cursed hebona in a vial,And in the porches of mine ears did pour The leperous distilment; whose effect Holds such an enmity with blood of man That swift as quicksilver it courses through The natural gates and alleys of the body.
Answer
A
The simile compares the poison to a fast-moving, toxic element, emphasizing its deadliness.
B
The metaphor compares the uncle to a poisonous plant, which illustrates his deadly intent.
C
The personification of the vial makes it seem more lethal.
D
The apostrophe allows the ghost to address the evil uncle.