Question

the sea of faith
was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore
lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
— matthew arnold, “dover beach”
what is arnold comparing to the sea in this excerpt from “dover beach”?
a. the earth
b. a girdle
c. a circle
d. the shore

Explanation:

The excerpt uses a simile: the "Sea of Faith" is compared to "the folds of a bright girdle furled" as it lay round the earth's shore. This directly identifies the girdle as the object the sea is compared to.

Answer:

B. A girdle