The GATE Grind

GATE 2016 CS – Question 3

General Aptitude · Verbal Aptitude: Grammar and Vocabulary · 1 mark · Multiple choice

Archimedes said, "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I will move the world."

The sentence above is an example of a ___________ statement.

  1. figurative
  2. collateral
  3. literal
  4. figurine

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Correct answer: (A) figurative

Explanation

Archimedes is not claiming he could literally move the earth. He is using a vivid exaggeration to show the power of leverage, which makes it a figurative statement.