Question

literary text: from “paul revere’s ride” by henry wadsworth longfellow. read these opening stanzas from “paul revere’s ride” by henry wadsworth longfellow. then, answer the question(s). listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of paul revere, on the eighteenth of april, in seventy - five; hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year. he said to his friend, “if the british march by land or sea from the town to - night, hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch of the north church tower as a signal light,— one, if by land, and two, if by sea; and i on the opposite shore will be, ready to ride and spread the alarm through every middlesex village and farm, for the country folk to be up and to arm.” then he said, “good night!” and with muffled oar silently rowed to the charlestown shore. think about the difference between literal meanings and figurative meanings. in which description from the third stanza is the meaning more figurative than literal? a. silently rowed (line 16) b. the moon rose over the bay (line 17) c. swinging wide at her moorings (line 18) d. a phantom ship (line 20)

Explanation:

A "phantom ship" is not a real - life, literal ship. It is a ghostly or imaginary vessel, using figurative language. "Silently rowed" is a literal action, "the moon rose over the bay" is a literal natural event, and "swinging wide at her moorings" is a literal description of a ship's movement at its anchor.

Answer:

D. A phantom ship (line 20)