Read the excerpt from chapter 10 of Animal Farm . Clover was an old stout mare now, stiff in the joints and with a tendency to rheumy eyes. She was two years past the retiring age, but in fact no animal had ever actually retired. The talk of setting aside a corner of the pasture for superannuated animals had long since been dropped. Which phrase from this passage best shows situational irony?
Answer
A
"Clover was an old stout mare now"
B
"She was two years past the retiring age"
C
"no animal had ever actually retired"
D
"setting aside a corner of the pasture for superannuated animals"
Explanation
Situational irony occurs when what happens is different from what would be expected. The animals were supposed to be able to retire, but the passage says that “no animal had ever actually retired.” This phrase most clearly reveals the contradiction between the promise of retirement and the animals’ reality.
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