Question

old benjamin, the donkey, seemed quite unchanged since the rebellion. he did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in joness time, never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. about the rebellion and its results he would express no opinion. when asked whether he was not happier now that jones was gone, he would say only \donkeys live a long time. none of you has ever seen a dead donkey,\ and the others had to be content with this cryptic answer.
—animal farm,
george orwell
which statement best explains why benjamin seems disinterested in the rebellion?
○ he, like most donkeys, does not believe in working very hard.
○ he believes that little will change on the farm now that the animals are in charge.
○ he thinks that he will outlive the other animals and eventually take over the farm.
○ he wants to keep his true feelings about the rebellion a secret from the others.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The passage states Benjamin “never shirking” work, so he does believe in working (eliminated).
• Option 2: Benjamin’s cryptic response (“Donkeys live a long time…”) implies he has seen cycles of change (or lack thereof) over time, suggesting he believes little will truly change with the rebellion. This aligns with his disinterest, as he sees the farm’s dynamics as static.
• Option 3: There is no text suggesting Benjamin wants to “take over the farm” (eliminated).
• Option 4: The passage says he “would express no opinion” but does not imply he is hiding feelings; his disinterest comes from cynicism about change, not secrecy (eliminated).

Answer:

B. He believes that little will change on the farm now that the animals are in charge.