Question

Which statement is the BEST paraphrase of the following metaphor: "we do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us"?

1) The railroad carries us instead of us carrying it.
2) We are in control of the railroad.
3) The railroad is a burden on us.
4) We are dependent on the railroad.

Answer 1

The metaphor 'we do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us' suggests the railroad is a burden on us, rather than something we control or use freely.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best paraphrase of the metaphor "we do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us" is option 3) The railroad is a burden on us.

This statement suggests that the railroad, which could symbolize a variety of things like technology, progress, or societal expectations, has a significant impact on our lives, potentially overwhelming or controlling us, rather than being simply a tool that we use at our leisure.

This metaphor suggests that instead of us controlling the railroad, it controls us and puts pressure on us.