Question

read this excerpt from the narrative of the life of frederick douglass. mrs. auld had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger - like fierceness. the first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to instruct me. the reader can infer that being a slaveholder made mrs. auld more fierce about protecting enslaved people. less concerned about helping enslaved people. more gentle when teaching enslaved people. less religious than most enslaved people.

Explanation:

1. Analyze the first option: The text says slavery made her fierce, but there's no indication it was for protecting enslaved people. So this is incorrect.
2. Analyze the second option: The excerpt shows Mrs. Auld lost her "heavenly qualities" like helping others (e.g., ceasing to instruct the narrator). Slavery's influence made her less concerned with helping enslaved people, which matches this option.
3. Analyze the third option: The text states she ceased to instruct the narrator, so she wasn't more gentle in teaching. This is incorrect.
4. Analyze the fourth option: The passage doesn't discuss her religiousness compared to enslaved people. So this is irrelevant.

Answer:

B. less concerned about helping enslaved people.