Question

Read the following excerpt from Mark Twain's "I Sell a Dog":

Three dollars? Only three dollars? Why that dog is a most uncommon dog; he can't possibly be worth less than fifty. If he were mine, I wouldn't take a hundred for him.

Which comedic technique does this excerpt best illustrate?
A.Understatement
B.Hyperbole
C.Irony
D.Sarcasm

Answer 1

A.Understatement
B.Hyperbole
C.Irony
D.Sarcasm
B IS THE ANSWER

Answer 2

The comedic technique that this excerpt best illustrates is a hyperbole.

A hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that should not be taken literally. The speaker doesn't actually mean that he wouldn't take a hundred for the dog, but rather is saying that the dog is worth a lot. He cannot understand why the dog is only three dollars when he is so special.