Question

From "the oven bird." the bird would cease and be as other birds but that he knows in singing not to sing. The question that he frames in all but words is what to make of a diminished thing. Which word or phrase below could best be used to replace the word cease without changing its denotative or connotative meaning? a. discontinue b. come to an end c. terminate d. shut down

Answer 1

The phrase 'come to an end' is the best substitute for the word 'cease' in the given context, as it maintains the same denotative and connotative meanings.

Step-by-step explanation:

The line "From 'the oven bird.' the bird would cease and be as other birds but that he knows in singing not to sing" suggests that the bird would stop singing, just as other birds do. Considering the options provided, the best choice to replace the word cease without changing its meaning would be b. come to an end. This phrase maintains both the denotative and connotative meaning of cease, implying that the action of singing would halt without implying a mechanical stoppage, which 'shut down' might suggest, or the finality that 'terminate' conveys.

Answer 2

In the poem 'The Oven Bird,' the phrase 'come to an end' best replaces 'cease,' expressing a natural conclusion to the bird's song. So the correct option is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the poem "The Oven Bird," the word 'cease' can be replaced with a word or phrase that maintains the same denotative and connotative meaning. In this context, the options given are a. discontinue, b. come to an end, c. terminate, and d. shut down. The most appropriate replacement would be b. come to an end, as it closely matches the meaning of cease in the sense of bringing something to a natural conclusion.