In "A Visit From St. Nicholas," by Clement Clarke Moore, please answer: "Down" is a simile for: chimney, roof, hoof, reindeer, none of these.

In "A Visit From St. Nicholas," by Clement Clarke Moore, the
best way to understand the question and the possible answers is to be sure to first understand
what a simile is, and secondly to be aware of the meaning of each of the
choices given.

First of all, a simile is a
comparison of two dissimilar things that share similar traits, as if they were the same. For
example, look at "Her skin was as soft as silk." This is a simile. The comparison is between
skin and silk. However, a simile also must use the
words "like" or "as" in making the comparison.

In terms of the
choices, each seems straightforward: the chimney is an opening in the roof where smoke from the
fireplace escapes; the roof is the covering on the top of a house; the hoof is an animal's foot,
tough like a deer's horn; and, a reindeer is an animal much like a
deer.

If you are confused, there is good reason. I believe this is a
trick question. If we study the use of the word "down" in the context of the
poem, we will see two important items missing in terms of the definition of a
simile:

As I drew in my
head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came
with a bound.

First, note the absence
of "like" or "as." This is our first clue. More importantly, there is no comparison of
two things taking place in this segment.

Later in the
poem, note the following simile:

readability="5">

...And the smoke it encircled his
head like a
wreath.

The two
things being compared are the smoke and a wreath, which
share the same shape. You will also notice that "like" is present in the
comparison.

Therefore, your answer should be: none of
these.