Question about ように


I'm confused in ように in the following sentence. Maybe it connects to 聞こえる or
maybe means "in order to" ? I'm not sure about it here.

Some sort of translation: "Conversations in this period of time means, that
_they are_ taking the opportunity to clear the gloom from exams studying, the
fact that it sounds a bit unnatural maybe is my imagination."

> この時期の会話というのは、受験勉強の鬱屈【うっ・くつ】をここぞとばかりに晴らそうとするように、妙にキンキンと聞こえるのは気のせいだろうか。




I believe it is a split apart
[～ように聞こえる](http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=%E3%82%88%E3%81%86%E3%81%AB%E8%81%9E%E3%81%93%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B&ref=sa)
(sounds like ~ / sounds as if ~).

聞こえる is modified twice, once by the clause ending in ように, and once again by
妙にキンキンと.

> この時期の会話というのは、受験勉強の鬱屈をここぞとばかりに晴らそうとするように、妙にキンキンと聞こえるのは気のせいだろうか。 The(se things
> called) conversations around this period, I wonder if it is my imagination
> that they sound unnaturally shrill, and **like/as if** they are an attempt
> to eagerly snatch at the opportunity to clear up the gloom of studying for
> exams.




I believe it is a split apart
[～ように聞こえる](http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=%E3%82%88%E3%81%86%E3%81%AB%E8%81%9E%E3%81%93%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B&ref=sa)
(sounds like ~ / sounds as if ~).

聞こえる is modified twice, once by the clause ending in ように, and once again by
妙にキンキンと.

> この時期の会話というのは、受験勉強の鬱屈をここぞとばかりに晴らそうとするように、妙にキンキンと聞こえるのは気のせいだろうか。 The(se things
> called) conversations around this period, I wonder if it is my imagination
> that they sound unnaturally shrill, and **like/as if** they are an attempt
> to eagerly snatch at the opportunity to clear up the gloom of studying for
> exams.

