Understanding Paradoxes

A paradox is a:

• rage, fury, anger

• body (natural or artificial) which revolves around a larger body; generally a planet

• tenet seemingly contradictory or false, but actually true

Which of the following is an example of a paradox?

• The Sun Also Rises

• Noisy silence

• To be or not to be

• You must be cruel to be kind

Which of the following is the best example of a paradox?

• "This rock? Heavy? Why it's as light as a feather."

• "The bear slept like a log."

• "It's incredibly warm inside the house."

• "She has the face of an angel."

Which of the following is the best example of a paradox?

• "He was in a room full of people, but he felt alone."

• "Her home was like her castle."

• "He played as if he were a professional on the field."

• "A live orchestra filled her ears as she listened to the radio."

Which of the following is the best example of a paradox?

• "Moses supposes his toeses are roses."

• "I'll be short."

• "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end."

• "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Which of the following is the best example of a paradox?

• "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."

• "I'm busy every moment of the day."

• "The ice felt so cold it was hot to the touch."

• "The dog scratched until it could scratch no more."

Which of the following is the best example of a paradox?

• "Her parents were so mad they breathed fire."

• "He ate two plates full of food, but still felt hungry."

• "Oh, it's nothing. Just forget about it."

• "Oh you know me. I'm always busy doing nothing."

Which of the following best defines paradox?

• the use of deliberate exaggeration for effect

• the use of parallel structure for a series of similar grammatical elements

• an imitation of a literary or musical work

• an apparent contradiction that actually express a truth

A statement that seems contradictory or absurd, but is actually valid or true.

• oxymoron

• paradox

• paraphrase

Using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning is called:

• Symbolism

• Paradox

• Hyperbole

• Allusion