16Hit1600
Information and IdeasEasy–MediumQuotation supporting a claim about a setting's appearance

Information and Ideas practice question

A critic claims that the novel presents the harbour town as prosperous only in appearance.

Which quotation from the novel most effectively illustrates the claim?

  1. A. "The new paint on the quayside houses stopped at the corner, where the street turned away from the water and from the visitors' eyes."Correct
  2. B. "The harbour was full of boats and the warehouses full of goods."
  3. C. "The town had never been rich and did not pretend to be."
  4. D. "The fishermen mended their nets on the quay each morning."

Answer: A. "The new paint on the quayside houses stopped at the corner, where the street turned away from the water and from the visitors' eyes."

Paint only where visitors look: a show of prosperity.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. "The harbour was full of boats and the warehouses full of goods."
Real prosperity, not a show.
C. "The town had never been rich and did not pretend to be."
No pretence at all.
D. "The fishermen mended their nets on the quay each morning."
A routine, not appearance versus reality.

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