【正确答案】正确答案：Irony is a situation, literary technique or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity, discordance or unintended connection that goes beyond the most evident meaning. It is the expression of one"s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. There are three types of irony. 1) Verbal irony is a disparity of expression and intention: when a speaker says one thing but means another, or when a literal meaning is contrary to its intended effect. 2) Dramatic irony is a disparity of expression and awareness: when words and actions possess a significance that the listener or audience understands, but the speaker or character does not. 3) Situational irony is the disparity of intention and result: when the result of an action is contrary to the desired or expected effect.

【答案解析】解析：本题要求对“反讽”这个文学术语做出解释。由于“反讽”的外延比较广泛，因此在解释完其基本含义的基础上应再加以限定，介绍其种类并给予说明。