Read the following lines from the poem "The Divine Comedy."
But I had hardly started when I spied
a leopard in my pathway, lithe and fleet,
all covered with a sleek and spotted hide.
And as I faced it, it would not retreat,
but paced before me and so blocked my way
that more than once I had to turn my feet
The speaker describes the leopard as "lithe and fleet" most likely to imply that
(1 point)
Responses
the pathway is too narrow for the leopard to pass by.
the pathway is too narrow for the leopard to pass by.
the leopard appears graceful but can be treacherous.
the leopard appears graceful but can be treacherous.
the narrator should run quickly away from the leopard.
the narrator should run quickly away from the leopard.
the leopard is staring at the speaker with a hungry gaze.
the leopard is staring at the speaker with a hungry gaze.
the leopard appears graceful but can be treacherous.
The correct answer is: the leopard appears graceful but can be treacherous.
To determine the correct answer, we need to analyze the given lines from the poem "The Divine Comedy." The speaker describes the leopard as "lithe and fleet," which gives us some clues about the leopard's characteristics.
First, let's understand the meaning of the words "lithe" and "fleet." "Lithe" means supple, flexible, or graceful, while "fleet" means swift or quick. These adjectives suggest that the leopard is agile and nimble.
From this, we can eliminate options (1) and (4) because there is no indication in the text that the pathway is too narrow or that the leopard is staring at the speaker with a hungry gaze.
Now let's consider option (2), which suggests that the leopard appears graceful but can be treacherous. This seems like a plausible interpretation since the words "lithe" and "fleet" connote a sense of elegance and agility. It implies that the leopard may be deceptively alluring, but potentially dangerous.
Lastly, let's consider option (3), which suggests that the narrator should run quickly away from the leopard. There is no explicit mention in the text that the narrator should run, so this option lacks support from the given lines.
Based on our analysis, we can conclude that the correct answer is:
- The leopard appears graceful but can be treacherous.