SAT Example (Short Reading Comprehension)

 

An outstanding feature of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey is the poet's use of epic similes. In contrast to a simple comparison, an epic simile extends through a number of lines, often presenting a dynamic series of images. In the Iliad, epic similes often juxtapose the violence of warfare with peacetime scenes or the natural world. The Odyssey contains far fewer such comparisons, but the similes in the odyssey are no less important for the epic's major themes. One telling illustration occurs when the hero strings his bow for the climactic battle: here, he is compared to an epic bard stringing his harp.