A statement that seems self-contradictory but is actually true.

A statement that seems self-contradictory but is actually true.

• A. Paradox
• B. Parody
• C. Personification
• D. Plot

Answer: (A)

A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory at first, but contains a truth when examined more closely. It prompts you to hold two ideas that appear mutually exclusive and realize they can reveal a deeper or surprising meaning. A classic example is “This statement is false.” If the statement is true, then it’s false, but if it’s false, then it’s true, which is exactly the kind of puzzling tension a paradox captures. The description in the question fits this idea because it points to a statement that seems contradictory yet is true. Parody, by contrast, is a humorous imitation of something, personification is giving human traits to inanimate things, and plot is the sequence of events in a narrative. So the best choice is paradox.

A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory at first, but contains a truth when examined more closely. It prompts you to hold two ideas that appear mutually exclusive and realize they can reveal a deeper or surprising meaning. A classic example is “This statement is false.” If the statement is true, then it’s false, but if it’s false, then it’s true, which is exactly the kind of puzzling tension a paradox captures. The description in the question fits this idea because it points to a statement that seems contradictory yet is true. Parody, by contrast, is a humorous imitation of something, personification is giving human traits to inanimate things, and plot is the sequence of events in a narrative. So the best choice is paradox.