Which option correctly defines a simile?

• A. A literal description of events.
• B. A rhetorical question used for emphasis.
• C. A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things using the word 'like' or 'as'.
• D. A phrase that means the opposite of what it says.

Answer: (C)

A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things using the word like or as. This helps paint a vivid image or clarify a trait by linking something unfamiliar to something familiar. For example, "Her smile was as bright as the sun" uses like/as to show brightness by comparing it to the sun.

If a description is literal, it simply states facts without figurative language. A rhetorical question is asked for emphasis rather than to compare. Irony or sarcasm involves saying the opposite of what is meant. So the defining feature of a simile is the explicit comparison between two unlike things using like or as.