单选题 Ironically, the proper use of figurative language must be based on the denotative meaning of the words, because it is the failure to recognize this ______ meaning that leads to mixed metaphors and their attendant incongruity.

【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】literal字面的。symbolic象征性的。esoteric隐秘的。allusive暗指的；含典故的。