Question

for those who love music
by axel munthe (adapted)
for those who love music is one of the short memoirs and essays from axel munthe’s book vagamies. in this story, the author recounts his memories of his interactions with an organ player and his monkey who perform in the streets to make money.
(1) i had engaged him by the year. twice a week he came and went through his whole repertoire, and lately, out of sympathy for me, he would play the mesereure of the trovatore,1 which was his show piece, twice over. he stood there in the middle of the street looking steadfastly up at my windows while he played, and when he had finished he would take off his hat with an “addio, signor!”.
(2) it is well known that the barrel-organ, like the violin, gets a fuller and more sympathetic tone the older it is. the old artist had an excellent instrument, not of the modern noisy type which imitates a whole orchestra with flutes and bells, and beats of drums, but a melancholy old-fashioned barrel-organ which knew how to lend a dreamy mystery to the gayest allegro3, and in whose proudest tempo di marcia4 there sounded an unmistakable undertone of resignation. and in the tenderer pieces of the repertoire, where the melody, muted and sagging like a cracked old woman’s voice, groped its way amongst the rusty pipes of the inside, there was a trembling in the bass like suppressed sobs. now and then the voice of the tired organ failed it completely, and then the old man would respectfully turn the handle during some bars of rest more touching in its eloquent silence than any music.
(3) true the instrument was itself very expressive, but the old man had surely his share in the sensation of melancholy which came over me whenever i heard his music. he had his beat in the poor quarter behind the latin quarter5, and many times during my solitary rambles up here had i stopped and taken my place among the scanty audience of ragged street boys when summoned him.
(5) it was not difficult to see that times were hard—the old man’s clothes
select the correct answer.
which phrase offers the best evidence that the organ player does not have much money?
a. “...the old man had surely his share in the sensation of melancholy which came over me whenever i heard his music.” (paragraph 3)
b. “...the child pointed towards the old man, and then ran up to him and laid a silver coin in his hat.” (paragraph 10)
c. “...the old man’s clothes were doubtful, and the pallor of poverty lay over his withered features...” (paragraph 5)
d. “...but the old man’s terms were so small, and you know i have always been so fond of music.” (paragraph 6)

Explanation:

To determine the best evidence that the organ player does not have much money, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Talks about the old man's melancholy from his music, not about money.
• Option B: Describes a child giving a coin, not about the organ player's financial status.
• Option C: Mentions the old man's clothes being doubtful (likely shabby) and the "pallor of poverty" over his features, indicating he is poor and thus doesn't have much money.
• Option D: Discusses the speaker's fondness for music and the old man's small terms (unclear relation to money).

Answer:

C. "…the old man’s clothes were doubtful, and the pallor of poverty lay over his withered features…" (paragraph 5)