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Craft and StructureHardFunction of a detail in a literary passage

Craft and Structure practice question

The following text is from a novel. On the morning of the move Elin found her father in the empty kitchen, running his hand along the worktop as though checking it for dust. There was no dust. He was, she understood, saying goodbye to it in the only way he knew, which was to pretend he was doing something else.

Which choice best describes the function of the detail that 'there was no dust'?

  1. A. It shows that the father's gesture is not practical but a disguised farewell.Correct
  2. B. It indicates that the kitchen had been cleaned professionally.
  3. C. It suggests that the father is fussy about cleanliness.
  4. D. It implies that the family is not really moving.

Answer: A. It shows that the father's gesture is not practical but a disguised farewell.

Nothing to check for: the gesture is about parting.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. It indicates that the kitchen had been cleaned professionally.
Who cleaned it is beside the point.
C. It suggests that the father is fussy about cleanliness.
The text says the checking is a pretence.
D. It implies that the family is not really moving.
The kitchen is empty; the move is real.

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