Distinguish Literal, Figurative Meaning: Short Fiction Practice Test

A student narrator describes a late-night study session: “At 2 a.m., my notes began to blur into snow, and every definition drifted away as soon as I touched it.” How does the bolded language connect the literal scene to a figurative idea?

(Assume the student is exhausted and rereading the same page repeatedly.)

A narrator describes a family road trip: “My parents’ argument idled in the front seat, a running engine we pretended not to smell.” How does the bolded language operate on literal and figurative levels?

(Assume the argument continues quietly and constantly.)