Question

select the verbal irony in the passage. my father, a fireman, had discouraged me from learning anything about the workings of the internal - combustion engine. when i said i wanted to learn how cars worked, he said, \its easy. ill tell you everything you need to know. you put the key in the ignition and you turn it.\ thanks, dad. to his credit, he had also advised me to cultivate a mechanic at a local gas station. but out in the vermont countryside there were no gas stations - just a pump at marbles store, where you could leave the keys in the car and marble would move it if it was in the way. from mary norris, holy writ. copyright 2015 by condé nast.

Explanation:

Verbal irony occurs when words express something contrary to the speaker's true meaning. The father, a fireman who should be cautious about safety, advises leaving keys in the car in a place with no gas - stations, which is a risky and ironic piece of advice.

Answer:

The father's advice to leave the keys in the car in a place with no gas - stations while also discouraging the narrator from learning about car workings is the verbal irony.