Question

Read the sentence from The Importance of Being Earnest.

Algernon. . . . But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal.
The most precise description of the sentence is that it is a(n) ______ because it makes a short, witty statement that offers a surprising, satirical perspective.

A) Device

B) Epigram

C)Joke

D)Pum

Answer 1

Epigram

An epigram is a short, witty remark or saying. It can often be satirical. This sentence is an epigram. Device doesn't make sense at all. A pum is nothing. It was probably supposed to say a pun which is a play on words. This is not. And it is also not a joke.

Answer 2

The most precise description of the sentence is that it is an epigram (option B) because it makes a short, witty statement that offers a surprising, satirical perspective.

Definition of each option

• An epigram can be described a s short saying that conveys a witty, sarcastic, or fun idea about something. Epigrams were often used by Oscar Wilde, the author of "The Importance of Being Earnest," as a way to poke fun at the society of his time. In this particular passage, he criticizes marriage and romance.

• A device is any technique used by an author to achieve a certain purpose in the text.

• A joke is just a funny remark with the purpose of causing people to laugh.

• A pun is a wordplay that relies on a word's different meanings or on similar-sounding words.

With the information above in mind, we can select option B as the correct option.

Learn more about epigrams here:

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