Question

The following item has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A
Read the following sentence from paragraph 34 of the selection.

It’s likelier that people will fly to the moon or that a woman will serve as a soldier!

Which best explains why this sentence is an example of dramatic irony?
A. Katherine knows it is unlikely women will fly to the moon or serve as soldiers, but the audience can tell that she will fight for these things to happen.
B. The audience knows that Katherine will never fly to the moon or serve as a solider, but Katherine believes she will do these things once women can vote.
C. Katherine knows that one day people will fly to the moon and women will serve as soldiers, but the audience can tell she is pretending not to know.
D. The audience knows that people have flown to the moon and that women can serve as soldiers, but Katherine does not believe these things will happen.
Part B
What is the effect of the dramatic irony explained in Part A?
A. It adds an element of humor.
B. It highlights the audience’s intelligence.
C. It emphasizes Katherine’s positive attitude.
D. It contributes to the hopeless tone of the play.

Answer 1

Part A: D. The audience (knowing about moon flights and women serving in the military) recognizes facts Katherine thinks impossible, so her line is ironic.

Part B: A. That disconnect produces a humorous effect — her exaggeration sounds amusing to an audience who knows those events did occur.