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6 of 126 of 12 Items Question Kew Gardens by Virginia Wolff Thus one couple after another with much the same irregular and aimless movement passed the flower-bed and were enveloped in layer after layer of green blue vapour, in which at first their bodies had substance and a dash of colour, but later both substance and colour dissolved in the green-blue atmosphere. How hot it was! So hot that even the thrush chose to hop, like a mechanical bird, in the shadow of the flowers, with long pauses between one movement and the next; instead of rambling vaguely the white butterflies danced one above another, making with their white shifting flakes the outline of a shattered marble column above the tallest flowers; the glass roofs of the palm house shone as if a whole market full of shiny green umbrellas had opened in the sun; and in the drone of the aeroplane the voice of the summer sky murmured its fierce soul. Yellow and black, pink and snow white, shapes of all these colours, men, women, and children were spotted for a second upon the horizon, and then, seeing the breadth of yellow that lay upon the grass, they wavered and sought shade beneath the trees, dissolving like drops of water in the yellow and green atmosphere, staining it faintly with red and blue. It seemed as if all gross and heavy bodies had sunk down in the heat motionless and lay huddled upon the ground, but their voices went wavering from them as if they were flames lolling from the thick waxen bodies of candles. Voices. Yes, voices. Wordless voices, breaking the silence suddenly with such depth of contentment, such passion of desire, or, in the voices of children, such freshness of surprise; breaking the silence? But there was no silence; all the time the motor omnibuses were turning their wheels and changing their gear; like a vast nest of Chinese boxes all of wrought steel turning ceaselessly one within another the city murmured; on the top of which the voices cried aloud and the petals of myriads of flowers flashed their colours into the air. "Kew Gardens" by Virginia Woolf Use the passage to answer the question. Which evidence and explanation show how the historical setting contributes to the effect of personification in the passage? (1 point) Responses “Thus one couple after another with much the same irregular and aimless movement passed the flower-bed and were enveloped in layer after layer of green blue vapour, in which at first their bodies had substance and a dash of colour, but later both substance and colour dissolved in the green-blue atmosphere.” This expresses how the people move in the garden. “Thus one couple after another with much the same irregular and aimless movement passed the flower-bed and were enveloped in layer after layer of green blue vapour, in which at first their bodies had substance and a dash of colour, but later both substance and colour dissolved in the green-blue atmosphere.” This expresses how the people move in the garden. “So hot that even the thrush chose to hop, like a mechanical bird, in the shadow of the flowers, with long pauses between one movement and the next . . . .” This shows a type of toy of the time period. “So hot that even the thrush chose to hop, like a mechanical bird, in the shadow of the flowers, with long pauses between one movement and the next . . . .” This shows a type of toy of the time period. “But there was no silence; all the time the motor omnibuses were turning their wheels and changing their gear; like a vast nest of Chinese boxes all of wrought steel turning ceaselessly one within another the city murmured;” This shows how a bus of the time moved in the city. “But there was no silence; all the time the motor omnibuses were turning their wheels and changing their gear; like a vast nest of Chinese boxes all of wrought steel turning ceaselessly one within another the city murmured;” This shows how a bus of the time moved in the city. “and in the drone of the aeroplane the voice of the summer sky murmured its fierce soul” This expresses the sound of a plane of that time period. “and in the drone of the aeroplane the voice of the summer sky murmured its fierce soul” This expresses the sound of a plane of that time period. Skip to navigation page 1 of 1

Answer 1

In the provided passage from "Kew Gardens" by Virginia Woolf, the historical setting contributes to the effect of personification through vivid imagery and descriptions that blend natural and mechanical elements. The following evidence and explanation illustrate this:

**Evidence:** “But there was no silence; all the time the motor omnibuses were turning their wheels and changing their gear; like a vast nest of Chinese boxes all of wrought steel turning ceaselessly one within another the city murmured;”

**Explanation:** This passage highlights the bustling urban environment of the early 20th century, during which motor omnibuses became a prominent part of city life. The comparison of the omnibuses to a "vast nest of Chinese boxes" personifies the city, suggesting that it is alive with movement and sound, much like a living organism. This mechanization contrasts sharply with the peaceful setting of Kew Gardens, creating a tension between nature and urbanization. The use of "murmured" to describe the city's noise imbues it with a sense of character, suggesting that the city has a voice, further enhancing the personification and illustrating how the historical context of industrialization influences the way natural and man-made elements interact within the narrative.

This evidence effectively illustrates how the historical setting informs the personification in the passage, emphasizing the coexistence and contrast between nature and the city.