A speaker opens with the following question: "Did you know that on this date in 1954, the USS Nautilus, the first atomic submari
ne, was launched at Groton, Connecticut?" What device is being employed in this introduction? A) a reference to a historical event
B) an effective use of humor
C) a startling fact or statistic
D) a preview of the topic
In this statement, the historical reference is used as an allusion. The speaker wants to give an indirect reference of something by mentioning the name of a person, place, thing, and any incidence be it political or historical. Here the speaker is giving reference of this incidence to deliver some hidden message through clues. The author can use other speech form such as a poem, song, phrases etc. instead of a question to deliver the same hint.
