Question

Use the paragraph to answer the question.Kade and Lula took slow, careful steps. All around them, the moonlight kissed the red ivy. The ivy stretched out, strangling the garden bench, the fountain, and the gate—taunting them with its omnipresence. How could they possibly get around without touching it? A few droplets of chilly rain splattered down. Each icy drop seemed to say, “Hurry, hurry. You don’t have long.”In 3–5 sentences, explain how the author used figurative language to create a specific effect. Make sure to explain what kind of figurative language the author used and the effect it had. Provide samples from the text to support your answer.

Answer 1

The author uses personification, giving nonhuman things human actions and voices—e.g., “moonlight kissed the red ivy,” the ivy “stretch[ed] out, strangling the garden bench,” and “Each icy drop seemed to say, ‘Hurry, hurry. You don’t have long.’” This makes the ivy feel alive and menacing, creating an eerie, threatening mood that heightens the danger around Kade and Lula. The raindrops’ imagined speech adds urgency and pressure, suggesting time is running out and forcing the characters to act quickly.