Question

Read the excerpt from "Ozymandias" by Percy Shelley. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed. Which words from the text most effectively help indicate the meaning of the word visage as it is used in this passage?
a. Ozymandias The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed …
b. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk …
c. Tell that its sculptor well those passions read … …
d. whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command …

Answer 1

Answer: The right answer is the D) "whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command..."

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little on the answer, it can be added that the word visage is a synonym of face, facial expression, or aspect or appearance. In this passage, the word has been used to refer to the head of a sculpture that was found half sunk in the desert. Therefore, the words that most effectively help indicate that meaning are those that describe the characteristics of that face—a "frown, wrinkled lip" and a "sneer of cold command."