Question

Read the excerpt from Act II of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Algernon. [Raising his hat.] You are my little cousin Cecily, I’m sure. Cecily. You are under some strange mistake. I am not little. In fact, I believe I am more than usually tall for my age.

The pun used in the excerpt causes the reader to

A) realize that Cecily does not like Algernon.

B)think that Algernon is a funny person.

C) realize that Algernon is confused.

D) think that Cecily is a quick-witted person.

Answer 1

I believe it's D because he quickly responded about not being small

Answer 2

Answer: D) think that Cecily is a quick-witted person.

Explanation: A pun is a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings. In the given excerpt from "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde, the pun is in the word "little," Algernon uses it meaning "young" but Cecily interpreted it as "small" the use of this pun causes the reader to think that Cecily is a quick-witted person, because of her quick answer.