Making a point
1. Jim designs a teapot made from chocolate. His boss says:
The answer is c. In fact there is an English expression 'As useless as a chocolate teapot', so when the boss says this is useful he is really saying that it is not useful at all.
2. Bill has lost a leg. A friend gives him running shoes. Bill says:
The answer is a. Bill is saying that in fact his friend has been very thoughtless.
3. Someone has given an opinion that is completely wrong. You say:
The answer is c. By using the word 'expert' you are suggesting that he must be an expert to sound so sure of himself. But he is not an expert.
4. A woman's purse has been stolen. She says:
The answer is c. This is irony because a police officer is meant to prevent crime, not to be a victim of it.
5. Sal is locked out of the house. It starts to rain. She says:
The answer is b. Sal already has a problem, so she does not really need the rain to give her another problem. She is being ironic.
6. Peter has an old, broken-down car. A friend asks:
The answer is a. By suggesting that this car is a 'luxury model' the friend is drawing attention to the lack of luxury in this car.
7. Mark's dinner was served cold. When the waiter asks about dessert he says:
The answer is a. Mark is using irony to tell the waiter that his food was very cold - colder than ice-cream, in fact.
8. A policeman stops a speeding motorist. He says:
The answer is b. The policeman is suggesting that the driver of the car should only drive like that on a race track.
