Question

1. read this sentence from the story. tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face. and while ben worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more innocents. which inference best explains how this sentence adds a layer of meaning to the story? a. toms reluctance to give up the paintbrush suggests he cared about painting the fence b. toms reluctance to give up the paintbrush suggests his capability to get out of painting c. toms reluctance to give up the paintbrush suggests his ability to pay his friends to paint d. toms reluctance to give up the paintbrush suggests he was concerned about perfection

Explanation:

The sentence "Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face" shows that Tom cared about painting the fence as his reluctance to give up the paint - brush implies he didn't want to stop painting. Other options are not well - supported by this single sentence.

Answer:

a. Tom's reluctance to give up the paintbrush suggests he cared about painting the fence