Similes and Metaphors — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. In 'Hope is the thing with feathers,' what does the metaphor suggest about hope?
A) Hope can lift us up like a bird in flight
B) Hope is heavy and difficult to carry
C) Hope only exists in real birds
D) Hope is colorful but useless
Grade 4 readers interpret the bird metaphor as hope's power to lift the spirit upward.
2. If a poet writes 'Time is a thief,' what does this metaphor suggest?
A) Time steals moments from us silently
B) Time can be locked in a safe
C) Time is afraid of police officers
D) Time only exists at night
Grade 4 readers interpret the thief metaphor as time quietly taking moments away.
3. In 'My memory is a sieve,' what does the speaker mean?
A) She forgets things easily, as if they slip through holes
B) She has perfect, unbreakable memory
C) She cooks pasta every day
D) She fills her memory with water
Grade 4 readers connect a sieve's leaking holes to forgetfulness in this metaphor.
4. If a poem says 'Friendship is a sturdy bridge,' what does it suggest?
A) Friendship connects people and supports them through hard times
B) Friendship is made of concrete and steel
C) Friendship costs a lot to build
D) Friendship is only useful for crossing rivers
Grade 4 readers interpret the bridge metaphor as friendship's role in connection and support.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. When a poet says 'Life is a journey,' the metaphor suggests life has many stages.
Grade 4 readers interpret 'life is a journey' as life having many stages or steps over time.
2. 'The classroom buzzed like a beehive' suggests the room was full of activity.
Grade 4 readers interpret the beehive simile as a room overflowing with busy activity.
3. 'Her words were daggers' suggests her words caused pain.
Grade 4 readers interpret the dagger metaphor as words that hurt feelings deeply.
4. 'The world is a stage' suggests that people are actors playing roles.
Grade 4 readers interpret Shakespeare's stage metaphor as people acting different roles in life.
5. Looking past surface words to find deeper meaning is called interpreting figurative language.
Grade 4 students name figurative language as the type that requires interpretation beyond literal words.