Question

review the passage. the hyperbole is shown in bold.

nations are possessed with an ambition to perpetuate the memory of themselves by the amount of hammered stone they leave. what if equal pains were taken to smooth and polish their manners? one piece of good sense would be more memorable than a monument as high as the moon. i love better to see stones in place.

adapted from henry david thoreau, walden and on the duty of civil disobedience

what is the effect of the hyperbole on the passages meaning or tone?

it stresses the value of architecture.

it stresses the value of thoughtfulness.

it stresses the value of ambition.

Explanation:

The hyperbole is "One piece of good sense would be more memorable than a monument as high as the moon". A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement. Here, comparing "one piece of good sense" (which relates to thoughtfulness, good judgment) to a monument as high as the moon (an extreme exaggeration of a monument's height) emphasizes that having good sense (thoughtfulness) is more valuable and memorable than even an extremely large monument. The first option is incorrect because the hyperbole is downplaying the value of monuments (architecture) by saying good sense is better. The third option is incorrect as the hyperbole is not about ambition but about the value of good sense/thoughtfulness.

Answer:

It stresses the value of thoughtfulness.