Excerpt from an occurrence at owl creek bridge
ambrose bierce
the other bank of the stream was open ground -- a gentle slope topped with a stockade of vertical tree trunks, loopholed for rifles, with a single embrasure through which protruded the muzzle of a brass cannon commanding the bridge.
what is the best meaning of the word muzzle as it is used in this sentence?
a) a leather or wire restraining appliance
b) a restraint on free movement or expression
c) the forward discharging end of the barrel of a firearm
d) the forward projecting part of the head of certain animals

Hi! The forward discharging end of the barrel of a firearm. C is your answer

the red coloration of the lungs looks alarming and adds to the overall message that the flu is threatening apex

1.   in sonnet 18, the speaker wants to describe the beauty of his love, but can’t find the words to do so. the speaker says “then in mid-utterance the lay was lost” when he tries to think of the words to describe his love’s beauty.   through his defeat of finding words to describe his love, he shows his love for her.

2.   instead of describing how perfect his love is or comparing her to other beautiful things, he says she is average and there is nothing special about her.   at the last 2 lines of the poem, the volta changes the poem by saying that even though his love is average in beauty, his love for her is special and unique. so instead of praising her throughout the whole poem, he contrasts her average characteristics with his special love for her.

3.   the beloved asked the speaker to describe how he feels about her. she begins to describe what she feels but "drop the torch" and says that she can't do it because the words "hid in me out of reach." the the speaker says "nay, let the silence of my womanhood command my woman-love to thy belief" and that her silence will have to be the answer to his question.