Which sentence contains a pun? A. A humble life of peace and quiet is better than a splendid one with danger and risk. B. It is better to be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and erase all doubt. C. I could not remember how to throw a boomerang, but it eventually came back to me. D. She shimmied on the shiny dance floor in her sheer and shimmery shoes.
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: C. I could not remember how to throw a boomerang, but it eventually came back to me.
Explanation:
A pun is a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. Puns often rely on ambiguity and cleverness, making them a favorite device in jokes, poetry, and witty conversation.
Let’s break down the options:
A. “A humble life of peace and quiet is better than a splendid one with danger and risk.”
This is a proverb or moral lesson, contrasting two types of lives. It contains no wordplay or double meaning, so it’s not a pun.
B. “It is better to be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and erase all doubt.”
This is a clever saying or aphorism, often attributed to Abraham Lincoln or Mark Twain. It uses irony but does not rely on double meanings or wordplay. So, it is not a pun.
C. “I could not remember how to throw a boomerang, but it eventually came back to me.”
This is a pun. The humor lies in the double meaning of “came back to me”:
- Literally: A boomerang is a curved tool that returns to the thrower.
- Figuratively: A memory or idea “comes back” to someone’s mind.
This clever twist on words and their meanings is a classic pun.
D. “She shimmied on the shiny dance floor in her sheer and shimmery shoes.”
This sentence uses alliteration—the repetition of consonant sounds (like “sh” and “s”)—but does not play on multiple meanings or sounds of words. Thus, it’s not a pun.
Conclusion:
Only option C uses wordplay with a double meaning, making it the only sentence with a pun.