Question

“‘biddy,’ said i, with some severity, ‘i have particular reasons for wanting to be a gentleman.’” (paragraph 3)
which word could replace severity in the sentence without changing its meaning?
○ humor
○ sternness
○ humanity
○ hesitation

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the meaning of "severity" and the options. "Severity" here implies a serious, stern tone. "Humor" is about being funny, "humanity" relates to kindness or human nature, "hesitation" is about pausing or being unsure. "Sternness" means a serious, strict tone, matching "severity".

Answer:

B. sternness