Question

question 4 of 10
which line is an example of trochaic tetrameter?

a. juliet is the sun.

b. by the shining big-sea-water,

c. two households, both alike in dignity

d. shall i compare thee to a summers day?

Explanation:

Trochaic tetrameter has a trochee (stressed - unstressed) as the foot and four feet per line. Let's analyze each option:

• Option A: "Juliet is the sun" has iambic (unstressed - stressed) rhythm, not trochaic.
• Option B: "By the shining Big - Sea - Water" has trochees (By (stressed - unstressed? No, "By" is stressed, "the" unstressed; "shining" stressed - unstressed; "Big" stressed, "Sea" unstressed, "Water" stressed - unstressed? Wait, actually, breaking it down: /By/ /the/ /shin/ing/ /Big/-/Sea/-/Wa/ter/? Wait, more accurately, trochaic tetrameter has four trochees. Let's scan the stress: "By" (stressed), "the" (unstressed), "shining" (stressed - unstressed), "Big" (stressed), "Sea" (unstressed), "Water" (stressed - unstressed)? Wait, maybe a better way: trochaic tetrameter has four feet, each foot is a trochee (stressed syllable followed by unstressed). Let's count the syllables and stress: "By" (1, stressed), "the" (2, unstressed), "shin" (3, stressed), "ing" (4, unstressed), "Big" (5, stressed), "Sea" (6, unstressed), "Wa" (7, stressed), "ter" (8, unstressed). Wait, that's four trochees: (By - the), (shin - ing), (Big - Sea), (Wa - ter). So that's trochaic tetrameter.
• Option C: "Two households, both alike in dignity" is iambic pentameter (or close to it) with iambs (unstressed - stressed) and more than four feet.
• Option D: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" is iambic pentameter, with iambs and five feet.

Answer:

B. By the shining Big-Sea-Water,