Question

Which sentence best uses the word shell in the sense of "a bombshell"?

a. After the shock, he was a shell of the person he had once been.

b They launched the shell, which exploded in the air.

c She had to shell 100 peas.

d We collected a shell from the beach for our hermit crab.

Answer 1

A

Step-by-step explanation:

Definition of a "bombshell": (noun) an overwhelming surprise or disappointment.

Using the method of elimination, we can immediately write off options B and D, because they have nothing to do with surprise or disappointment. This leaves A and C. C, while seeming tedious and hinting at some sort of emotion, talks about the physical shell of a pea, which isn't surprise or disappointment. We can now deduct that A is the right answer.

"After the shock" tells us that the subject of the sentence has just gone through a very startling revelation. Because our word is "bombshell", we can rightfully assume that this revelation was overwhelmingly surprising or disappointing.

"He was a shell of the person he once had been" implies that the subject of the sentence is no longer the same after this shocking news. Because the word "bombshell" is tied with intense emotion and surprise, the way "shell" is used to describe the subject would be an appropriate use of the word "bombshell".

Answer 2

Answer: B: They launched the shell, which exploded in the air.