Question

Read the following lines from "Clearances".

"So while the parish priest at her beside
Went hammer and tongs at the prayers for the dying"
The poet used the phrase "went hammer and tongs" most likely to imply that
a) he is beating his bible while reading to the mother
b) he is speaking the words loudly and with great force
c) the son does not agree with the priests religious views of death
d) the mother is slipping away and takes comfort in prayers from her family

Answer 1

The poet used the phrase "went hammer and tongs" most likely to imply that he is speaking the words loudly and with great force.

Step-by-step explanation:

The meaning of the expression "went hammer and tongs" is that a person does something with great vigor, determination, or vehemence, which matches with the line that says he is speaking loudly and with great force, it seems like a paraphrased sentence with the same context and conveys the same mood and idea.

Answer 2

B) He is speaking the words loudly and with great force.

To go at something "with hammer and tongs" is to do something with great vigor and a lot of purpose. So B is the correct answer based on the phrase.