Answer:
B). It comments on how smart Newton was.
C). It makes a joke to break up the formal background on Newton.
D). It uses a slang meaning of "wise guy" to suggest Newton is a know-it-all.
Explanation:
Pun is demonstrated as the literary device that involves a play of words with similar meanings or sound are deliberately put together to either create a humorous or rhetorical impact.
As per the question, the pun 'wise guy' is efficacious as the play of words allows the speaker to serve various purposes. The word 'wise guy' together helps him present a critique on smartness of Newton while 'guy' humorously break up the formal context on 'Newton'. The use of adjective 'wise' assists him to display a slang meaning of 'wise guy' to imply that Newton knew-it-all('considered the pull a force of nature...as gravitas'). Thus, <u>options B, C, and D</u> are the correct answers.
