Question

After the long, dangerous voyage across the ocean, stepping foot in the New World was like a breath of fresh air. What does "like a breath of fresh air" mean in the sentence?
A. The mood was light and airy
B. The atmosphere was refreshing
C. The people felt relief at the end of their journey
D. The people were eager to get off the ship

Answer 1

Answer:

C. The people felt relief at the end of their journey.

Explanation:

In this context, the sentence in quotation marks means that the people who had just endured a long and dangerous trip across the ocean felt relieved that their travels were over and that they were able to stand on solid ground once again. The sentence is, indeed, a simile, in which something, stepping foot on solid ground, is likened to something else, in this case, breathing fresh air.