Starter quiz
- 'A figure of speech that involves comparing two unlike things using the words 'like' or 'as'' is the definition of a ______.
- 'simile' ✓
- Which of the following is a simile?
- 'The floor was as hot as molten lead.' ✓
- 'The floor was molten lead.'
- 'The floor crackled and spat.'
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- Which of the following might you use to complete this simile: 'as hot as __________'.
- a bean
- hell ✓
- the sun ✓
- a statue
-
- 'A large vault, typically an underground one, for burying the dead' is the definition of which word beginning with 't'?
- 'tomb' ✓
- 'Bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind' is the definition of which word beginning with 'e'?
- 'evocative' ✓
- Complete the following common simile: 'as ______ as butter'.
- 'soft' ✓
Exit quiz
- In the opening of Chandler's 'Trouble is My Business', Anna Halsey's desk is described as being like "______ tomb".
- 'Napoleon's' ✓
- 'Expressing something forcibly and clearly' is the definition of which word beginning with 'e'?
- 'emphatic' ✓
- Complete the Shakespearean simile: "as __________ as the sea".
- beautiful
- boundless ✓
- bare
- brutal
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- 'The hard white fat on the kidneys and loins of cattle, sheep, and other animals' is the definition of which word beginning with 's'?
- 'suet' ✓
- In Chandler's 'Trouble is My Business', Anna Halsey's face is compared to suet. Which of the following might that suggest?
- Her face is smooth.
- Her demeanor is possibly cold. ✓
- Her face is beautiful.
- Her demeanor is possibly warm.
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- In Chandler's 'Trouble is My Business', Halsey's desk is compared to "Napoleon's tomb". The desk is said to be black, but the tomb itself is ...
- grey
- brown ✓
- white
- black
-
Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Writers may use similes in order to create emphatic, evocative images for the reader.
- Chandler compares Anna Halsey’s appearance to "suet" and her desk to "Napoleon’s tomb".
- Arguably, the comparison of her appearance to "suet" may imply that she has a hard exterior.
- Furthermore, the comparison of her desk to "Napoleon’s tomb" may imply she’s cold in business.
Common misconception
That we should only consider the image that a simile offers us.
While the image may be particularly evocative, it's also useful to analyse the connotations of the comparative image as that can reveal layers to what the writer is trying to portray to the reader.
Keywords
Emphatic - expressing something forcibly and clearly
Evocative - bringing strong images, memories or feelings to mind
Suet - the hard white fat on the kidneys and loins of cattle, sheep and other animals
Tomb - a large vault, typically an underground one, for burying the dead
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