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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Brain Lang. 2017 Jul 21;174:61–71. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.07.002
Metaphor Control REL IRR P-index

The yoga student is a flamingo. The bird is a flamingo. one leg pink 1.15
The prisoners are sardines. The fish are sardines. canned salty 1.10
Her heart is a balloon. Her gift is a balloon. expands parties 1.09
His mind is a cellar. The room is a cellar. dark basement 1.05
The prom queen is a peacock. His pet is a peacock. blue eggs 1.03
The groom is a penguin. The cartoon is a penguin. black beaked 0.96
The pond is a mirror. The wall is a mirror. shiny breakable 0.93
The hailstones are marbles. The toys are marbles. smooth games 0.92
The ballerina is a butterfly. The insect is a butterfly. delicate winged 0.88
His cubicle is a cage. The container is a cage. trap metal 0.73
The bagel is a rock. The specimen is a rock. hard grey 0.67
The tourist is a snail. The critter is a snail. slow shell 0.66
Her legs are sticks. The branches are sticks. thin tree 0.64
Her teeth are pearls. The earrings are pearls. white round 0.62
The river is a bathtub. The receptacle is a bathtub. washing taps 0.54
The sprinter is a rocket. The vehicle is a rocket. fast large 0.48
The cloud is a mushroom. The appetizer is a mushroom. stemmed fungus 0.46
His tail is a corkscrew. The tool is a corkscrew. curly wine 0.45
The crayon is a canary. The bird is a canary. yellow sings 0.45
The rooster is an alarm clock. The object is an alarm clock. keeps time ticking 0.42
The sidewalk is a skillet. The pan is a skillet. hot kitchen 0.42
Her parents are skyscrapers. The buildings are skyscrapers. tall elevators 0.32
His temper is a bomb. His weapon is a bomb. explosive dropped 0.31
The cigar is a skunk. The shadow is a skunk. smelly furry 0.29
The train is a worm. The creature is a worm. slither slimy 0.27
The scuba diver is a duck. The animal is a duck. swims quacks 0.24
The tree is an umbrella. His symbol is an umbrella. protective handle 0.23
Her fingers are rakes. The implement is a rake. prongs leaves 0.08
The clam is a zebra. The animal is a zebra. striped hooved 0.06
Her insult is a razor. Her purchase is a razor. sharp shaving 0.03
The chair is an octopus. The creature is an octopus. tentacles suction cups 0.00
His hair is broccoli. The vegetable is broccoli. stalks green −0.02
His skin is sandpaper. The material is sandpaper. rough brown −0.04
His face is a tomato. His topping is a tomato. red seeds −0.10
Her silence is a wall. The barrier is a wall. separating brick −0.12
Her father is an anchor. The artifact is an anchor. stationary boats −0.28
Her lips are pillows. The decorations are pillows. soft beds −0.30
His mouth is a piano. His instrument is a piano. keys pedals −0.30
The street is an ashtray. The item is an ashtray. butts glass −0.36
His grandmother is a prune. His dessert is a prune. wrinkled purple −0.40
Her answer is a bullet. Her weapon is a bullet. injure gun −0.46
His nose is a hook. His accessory is a hook. curved hanging −0.48
His promotion is a catapult. His artifact is a catapult. launching medieval −0.54
The dancer is a swan. The blur is a swan. graceful long neck −0.58
Her eyes are raisins. The snacks are raisins. dried sweet −0.61
The opponent is a vulture. The predator is a vulture. scavenger talons −0.63
The campers are ants. The intruders are ants. colonies antennae −0.70
His arms are pliers. The tools are pliers. pulling steel −0.76