Read the excerpt from "Keynote Address." Why, when our maturing society welcomes and appreciates art as never before, are poets and painters so preponderantly hostile?
Answer
A
metaphor, in comparing "society" to "art"
B
synecdoche, because he uses "poets and painters" to stand for art in general
C
irony, because a "hostile" reaction to greater appreciation seems contradictory
D
metonymy, in using "art" to stand for all artists
Explanation
The question contrasts society’s growing appreciation of art with poets’ and painters’ hostility. That apparent contradiction is irony: artists might be expected to welcome greater appreciation, yet the speaker says they are hostile. The correct choice is C, irony.
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