Read this sentence from paragraph 37. "Counting both sides, there's a hundred thousand men give or take a few thousand out there tonight, not one as can spit a sparrow off a tree, or knows a horse clod from a minnieball __ Which two statements best explain what the General means by his use of figurative language in this sentence? A He doubts the soldiers commitment to their duty. B He is concerned that the soldier's equipment is faulty. C He believes the soldiers are unskilled with their weapons. D He is worried that many of the soldiers will abandon their posts. E He thinks most of the soldiers lack the knowledge they need to fight.

## Step 1<br />The sentence from paragraph 37 uses figurative language to express the General's thoughts about the soldiers. The phrase "not one as can spit a sparrow off a tree" and "knows a horse clod from a minnieball" are metaphors that suggest the General doubts the soldiers' skills and knowledge.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The phrase "not one as can spit a sparrow off a tree" is a metaphor that implies the General doubts the soldiers' ability to accurately aim and shoot, which is a crucial skill in combat.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The phrase "knows a horse clod from a minnieball" is another metaphor that suggests the General doubts the soldiers' knowledge about their weapons, which is also a crucial aspect of combat.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Based on these interpretations, the two statements that best explain what the General means by his use of figurative language in this sentence are:<br /><br />C. He believes the soldiers are unskilled with their weapons.<br />E. He thinks most of the soldiers lack the knowledge they need to fight.