English · Passages | MDCAT MCQ

Read the following passage to answer the given question;

The fact that we were all as safe as kittens under a cook-stove did not, however, assuage in the least the fine despair and the grotesque desperation which seized upon the residents of the East Side when the cry spread like a grass fire that the dam had given way. Some of the most dignified, staid, cynical, and clear thinking men in town abandoned their wives, stenographers, homes, and offices and ran east. There are few alarms in the world more terrifying than 'The dam has broken!' There are few persons capable of stopping to reason when that clarion cry strikes upon their ears, even persons who live in towns no nearer than five hundred miles to a dam.

The phrase "spread like a grass fire" means

The phrase 'spread like a grass fire' is a metaphor used to describe something that spreads very quickly and widely, akin to how a fire can rapidly move through dry grass. In the passage, it illustrates the swift dissemination of panic among the residents.

The phrase 'spread like a grass fire' suggests something that spreads quickly and uncontrollably, similar to how a fire rapidly moves through dry grass. This is the correct interpretation.

Firefighting refers to the act of putting out fires, which is unrelated to the context of how something spreads. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Grass growth refers to the natural process of grass growing, which is unrelated to the rapid spread implied by the phrase. Thus, this option is incorrect.

A dreadful sight refers to something visually terrifying, which does not relate to the concept of rapid spreading. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

Hidden news refers to information that is concealed, which contrasts with the idea of something spreading quickly. Thus, this option is incorrect.