Question

read the excerpt from a worn path by eudora welty.
she was meditating, and not ready, and when he came at her she only hit him a little with her cane. over she went in the ditch, like a little puff of milkweed.
what does the phrase \like a little puff of milkweed\ suggest?
phoenix stops on the path and bends over to pick some flowers and falls.
phoenix is as delicate and lightweight as a flower, causing her to lose her balance and fall over.
phoenix falls asleep while standing on the path and falls into a bed of flowers.
phoenix attempts to knock the milkweed out of her way with her cane

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the metaphor "like a little puff of milkweed". Milkweed is a light, delicate plant. The options are evaluated:

• First option: No mention of picking flowers in the excerpt. Eliminate.
• Second option: Comparing Phoenix to a light milkweed puff suggests she is delicate/light, so losing balance and falling fits.
• Third option: No indication of falling asleep. Eliminate.
• Fourth option: The excerpt says she hit "him" (not milkweed) with her cane and then fell. Eliminate.

Answer:

B. Phoenix is as delicate and lightweight as a flower, causing her to lose her balance and fall over