Read the excerpt from "The Storyteller." "Were there any sheep in the park?” demanded Cyril. "No;” said the bachelor, "there were no sheep.” "Why weren’t there any sheep?” came the inevitable question arising out of that answer. The aunt permitted herself a smile, which might almost have been described as a grin. "There were no sheep in the park,” said the bachelor, "because the Prince’s mother had once had a dream that her son would either be killed by a sheep or else by a clock falling on him. For that reason the Prince never kept a sheep in his park or a clock in his palace.” Which statement best explains the situational irony in the passage?
Answer
A
The aunt hopes that the bachelor cannot answer Cyril’s questions, but he can.
B
Cyril expects there to be sheep in the park, but there are not.
C
The bachelor wants the children to listen quietly, but Cyril asks a question.
D
The prince’s mother fears that her son will be killed by a sheep, but he is not.
Explanation
Situational irony occurs when events turn out differently from what someone expects. The aunt smiles because she assumes the bachelor will be unable to answer Cyril’s question, but he responds with an imaginative explanation. Therefore, the best choice is that the aunt hopes the bachelor cannot answer Cyril’s questions, but he can.
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