What does the simile in this text suggest?
Monica rubbed coconut oil on her hands, which were like the parched earth during a drought.

 - Monica's hands were dry and cracked.
 - Monica's hands were hot.
The text includes a simile, using like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The simile like the parched earth during a drought suggests that Monica's hands were dry and cracked. A drought is a period without rain; the ground during a drought can become hard and cracked.