Read this excerpt from "Birdfoot's Grampa.”The old manmust have stopped our cartwo dozen times to climb outand gather into his handsthe small toads blindedby our lights and leaping,live drops of rain.What are readers most likely to infer from the phrase "leaping, live drops of rain”?

The phrase “leaping, live drops of rain” compares the toads to raindrops and describes them as alive and jumping. This supports the inference that the toads are still alive. “Not moving” contradicts the word “leaping,” and the phrase does not indicate that they are hurt or in shock.

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