Which sentence contains hyperbole?

• A. The sun rose slowly over the hills.
• B. I waited a thousand years for the bell to ring.
• C. The room felt pleasantly warm.
• D. She whispered softly in the hallway.

Answer: (B)

Hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or humor. The line about waiting “a thousand years” for the bell to ring is hyperbole because it expresses impatience in an obviously impossible, extreme way. The other sentences describe ordinary experiences in straightforward terms and don’t stretch reality in the same dramatic, over-the-top way.