Skill and Form Number: Idioms and Comparisons #1

Idioms and Comparisons

Baskets come in almost every shape and size imaginable—and a variety of colors, too. You can find them in flea markets, craft stores, and homes around the country. You can buy them already crafted, or you can make them with a few materials, some creativity, and a little patience.
American baskets date back to the time of the early colonies. At that time, Native Americans and British colonists had to gather food. They found baskets to be an efficient tool for collecting food. They made baskets from almost any material they could find. Some of the materials were vines, leaves, pine needles, and corn shucks. Over time, people’s basket-making skills improved. Soon they were making baskets that could hold very heavy items and even water. Although later people began using machines to make baskets, people still make and buy hand-woven baskets today. These baskets command respect for the basket weavers who turned simple materials into a useful and artistic tool.

1. Which of the following relationships is most similar to the relationship below?

Basket : Pine needles

Necklace : BeadsC. Corn: Corn Stalk
Leaves : TreeD. Wood: Furniture

2. Based on the information in the selection, which of the following relationships is most similar to the relationship below?

Native Americans : Baskets

Machines : BasketsC.Native Americans : Colonists
Baskets : ColonistsD. Baskets : Machines

3. Based on the information in the selection, which of the following relationships is most similar to the relationship below?

Baskets : Food

Leaves : BasketsC. Baskets: Tree branches
Baskets : WaterD. Colonists: Food

Many Hollywood movies are shallow. The local critic said that the latest summer blockbuster was as flat as a surfboard.

Why does the author compare the latest summer blockbuster to a surfboard?

to show that the movie had no depth to it
to show that the movie was not in IMAX format
to show that the movie is a widescreen movie
to show that the movie resembled a surfboard

5.A new celebrity made several mistakes when speaking during TV interviews. An entertainment reporter joked that he is as dumb as a box of rocks.

What is the effect of the simile used in second sentence?

to show that the celebrity was not intelligent
to show that the celebrity could not speak or was mute
to show that the celebrity was not very popular
to show that the celebrity resembled a container of stones

6. Which of the following is a simile?

When he became angry, the man yelled like an angry beast.
The man had many angry beasts for friends.
The man had a bad temper.
When he got angry, the man was an angry beast.

7. Which sentence below contains a simile?

Greg's trumpet playing sounded like a bad car horn.
My music teacher was an angel during test time.
Greg and I played a duet together first semester.
I'm bubbling over with excitement thinking about next year!

8. Which sentence below contains a metaphor?

A life without education is like a life without oxygen.
Education is the gateway to success.
Education should be one of your most important priorities.
Education is just as important as athletics.

Eddie Schaffer wheeled through the corridors of Riverside Middle School like a race car passing the pit stops at the Daytona Speedway! If Principal Shandling could give out speeding tickets, Eddie would owe hundreds of dollars in fines by now. As it was, the harried principal simply told Eddie to slow down no less than twelve times a day as he mumbled, "I wish all our students were as eager to get to class on time!"
Eddie's friends marveled at his enthusiasm, his teachers were thrilled to have him in their class, and everyone had long since grown accustomed to his bulky, squeaky wheelchair. After all, it never seemed to slow him down.
After school, he played softball right along with the rest of the kids, smacking the ball with his fist and then zooming around the bases like a bolt of lightning. At PE, he was a star athlete, as healthy as anyone else on the playing field. In band class, he played the trumpet like nobody's business.
Eddie's best friend, Jeremy, was just as athletic, but doubly-blessed by the fact that he could still use both his legs. He loved to push Eddie around, saying it made him twice as strong! Some people thought that it was Jeremy who inspired Eddie to do more, go faster, and be better. But those who listened to Jeremey the day Eddie got hurt knew differently.
Monday morning dawned clear and bright for the kids in Mr. Fisker's homeroom class. They made paper airplanes, chatted about the weekend, and visited loudly until their teacher stood up from his desk and made an announcement:
"Gang," he said wearily, as if he hadn't slept the night before. "I have bad news. Jeremy Givens was in a car accident over the weekend, and his left leg was badly broken. They say that even if it heals properly, he will always have a limp from now on."
The class gasped, thinking of Jeremy's many awards and ribbons for running, jumping, and sprinting. They thought of his bright future as a high school track star, now ruined. Boys shook their heads sadly, some of the girls even cried. But not Eddie.
Jeremy's best friend just cleared his throat and raised his hand. "Mr. Fisker," he said proudly. "I know Jeremy, and if anyone can get over having a limp, it's my best buddy. I've watched him run when he was winded, keep doing push-ups long after his arms had turned to Jell-O, and he's never given up yet..."
Role Reversal by Rusty Fischer

9. Judging from the context of the sentence it is in, what is most likely meant by the phrase "arms had turned to Jell-O?"

Jeremy's arms had become weak and rubbery from exertion.
Jeremy's arms were so fat they shook like Jell-O.
Jeremy's arms were muscular and hard like a bowl.
Jeremy's arms had become red or some other color from the effort.

10. From the way it is used in the story, pick a phrase below that is most similar to "like a bolt of lightning."

Like a speeding cheetah.C. Like a slithering snake.
Like a budding rose.D. Like a slow leak.

Answers

1. A
2. A
3.B
4.A
5.A
6.A
7.A
8. B
9.A
10. A

1. Necklace : Beads
2. Machines : Baskets
3. Baskets : Water
4. to show that the movie had no depth to it
5. to show that the celebrity was not intelligent
6. When he became angry, the man yelled like an angry beast.
7. Greg's trumpet playing sounded like a bad car horn.
8. Education is the gateway to success.
9. Jeremy's arms had become weak and rubbery from exertion.
10. Like a speeding cheetah.

Explanations

1. A necklace can be made of beads just as a basket can be made of pine needles.

2. Native Americans and machines both make baskets: Native Americans made baskets long ago, and later, machines were invented to make baskets.

3. Baskets were first used to carry food. Later, basket-making improved, allowing people to make baskets strong enough to carry water.

4. Similes compare two unlike things. Poets and authors show the comparison by using the words like and as. In this case, a surfboard is a flat object, and the comparison is that the movie is shallow, or without depth.

5. Similes compare two unlike things. Poets and authors show the comparison by using the words like and as. In this case, a box of rocks possesses no intelligence, and the comparison is quite insulting.

6. This sentence compares the man to an angry beast with the word "like." This makes it a simile.

7. This sentence directly compares the sound of a trumpet to that of a car horn using the word "like." This makes it a simile.

8. Education is directly compared to a gateway without "like" or "as." This makes it a metaphor.

9. From the other phrases in the sentence, the author is implying that Jeremy pushes himself past the point of exhaustion, when necessary.

10. The author is using the phrase like a bolt of lightning to imply speed because lightning is very fast.