Question 25
Literary Appreciation: Prose and DramaWAEC 2001 Unseen prose: the killing of whales
The killing of a whale at sea isn't pleasant to witness or even to contemplate. Hunted down through solar and other highly specialized equipment, the whale has no more chance of escape like a steer in a slaughterhouse. The manner of his death, however, is very different. A grenade-tipped harpoon explodes deep within his body, often causing prolonged suffering before the gentle-giant, whose intelligence may be second only to our own, is reduced to a carcass ready for processing into crayons, lipstick, shoe polish, fertilizer, margarine and pet food.
The inhumane manner of death, however, is the least part of the scandal known as the whaling industry. Much more important is the fact that the killing is quite unnecessary. Adequate substitutes exist for every single use to which the whale carcasses are currently put, and although some 32,000 whales are killed every year, the sum of commodities they provide is insignificant in the world's economy.
The inhumane manner of death, however, is the least part of the scandal known as the whaling industry. Much more important is the fact that the killing is quite unnecessary. Adequate substitutes exist for every single use to which the whale carcasses are currently put, and although some 32,000 whales are killed every year, the sum of commodities they provide is insignificant in the world's economy.
“...... like a steer in a slaughterhouse” is an example of
- A.simile
- B.metaphor
- C.personification
- D.assonance
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A (simile)
Explanation
The comparison uses 'like': a simile.