Question

5th block/english language arts
selection test: a christmas carol: scrooge and...
close read: analyze the text
identify the choice that best answers the question.
read the following speech from act i of a christmas carol: scrooge and marley.
marley. i wear the chain i forged in life. i made it link by link, and yard
by yard. is its pattern strange to you? or would you know, you, scrooge,
the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? it was full as
heavy and long as this, seven christmas eves ago. you have labored on
it, since. it is a ponderous chain.
which of the following best explains marley’s meaning?
a. he means that scrooge always carries his money around on his person.
b. he means that scrooge’s obsession with profit has ruined his character.
c. he means that scrooge deserves to be in prison for illegal business practices.
d. he means that scrooge’s oppression of people who owe him money is an unfair burden.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze Marley's speech and the options:

• Option A: The chain is symbolic, not literal money - carrying, so A is wrong.
• Option B: Marley's chain represents his greed in life. He implies Scrooge's obsession with profit (link - by - link, yard - by - yard building of the chain) has ruined his character, matching the symbolic meaning of the chain.
• Option C: There's no mention of illegal business or prison in the speech, so C is incorrect.
• Option D: The chain is about Scrooge's own greed, not his oppression of debtors, so D is wrong.

Answer:

B. He means that Scrooge's obsession with profit has ruined his character.