Read the excerpt from chapter 10 of Animal Farm . Then there came a moment when the first shock had worn off and when, in spite of everything—in spite of their terror of the dogs, and of the habit, developed through long years, of never complaining, never criticising, no matter what happened—they might have uttered some word of protest. But just at that moment, as though at a signal, all the sheep burst out into a tremendous bleating of— "Four legs good, two legs BETTER! Four legs good, two legs BETTER! Four legs good, two legs BETTER!" Which statement best explains why this passage is an example of irony?
Answer
A
The sheep are stating that the pigs walk on two legs, which is an inaccurate description.
B
The sheep partake in a chant that they do not actually agree with about two legs being better.
C
The sheep, after years of inaction, decide to take a stand about two legs being better than four.
D
The sheep, which are four-legged animals, are chanting about how two legs are better.
Explanation
The irony comes from the contrast between who is speaking and what they are saying: the sheep have four legs, yet they chant that “two legs” are better. This makes choice A the best explanation. The chant also reflects the pigs’ change in behavior, but choice C claims the sheep do not agree with it, which the passage does not establish.
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