Practice Together
Read the passage aloud. Look at each underlined phrase. Identify the phrase as a simile, a metaphor, personification, or an idiom. Then figure out the meaning of each phrase.
Today, the Caribbean Islands look as peaceful as a sleeping baby. The history of the area is not quite so peaceful, however.
For hundreds of years, the islands took care of the native people. Then explorers came. Spain claimed the islands as its own. Small colonies emerged like a string of jewels around the region.
A beautiful day in the Caribbean
All these changes were terrible for the native people. Many came down with strange diseases. Many people died, and their cultures were nearly wiped out.
Now, hundreds of years later, the people in the area mix like the sands of the seas that surround the islands. The Caribbean culture is a rainbow of flavors, sounds, and sights.
Try It!
Read the following passage aloud. Look at each underlined phrase. Is it a simile, a metaphor, personification, or an idiom? How do you know? What does it mean?
Caribbean music is as varied as its people. European instruments swing to African rhythms. Folk tunes blend with jazzy harmonies. The sound is a sunny smile. The music of the Caribbean grabs you and won’t let go. If you’re feeling down in the dumps, listen to Caribbean music. Soon you’ll feel as right as rain again.