Question

\jones\ from the wit and humor of america, volume vi (of

(1) i could have taken
o\ and gone away decently and never
bothered her again i told her so straight out in the first angry
flush of my rejection - but this string business, with everything left
hanging in the air, so to speak, made a fellow feel like thirty cents.
(2) \it simply means that im engaged and you are not, \ i said.
(3) \its nothing of the kind, \ she returned tearfully. \youre as free
as free, ezra. you can go away this moment, and never write or
anything!\
(4) her lips trembled as she said this, and i confess it gave me a
kind of savage pleasure to feel that it was still in my power to hurt
her.
(5) it may sound unkind, but still you must admit that the whole
situation was exasperating. here was five - foot five of exquisite,
blooming, twenty - year - old american girlhood sending away the
man she confessed to care for, because, forsooth, she would not
marry before her elder sister! i always thought it was beautiful of
freddy (she was named frederica, you know) to be always so
sweet and tender and grateful about eleanor, but sometimes
gratitude can be carried altogether too far, even if you are an
orphan, and were brought up by hand. eleanor was thirty - four if a
day - a nice enough woman, of course, and college bred, and
cultivated, and clever - but her long suit wasnt good looks.
(6)
o, \ repeated freddy, \i shall never, never marry before
eleanor. it would mortify her - i know it would - and make her feel
that she herself had failed. shes awfully frank about these things,
ezra - surprisingly frank. i dont see why being an old maid is
always supposed to be so funny, do you? its touching and tragic
in a woman whod like to marry and who isnt asked!\
(7) \but eleanor must have had heaps of offers, \ i said, \surely - \

select the correct answer
read the excerpt from the passage
(1) i could have taken
o\ and gone away decently and never bothered her again i told her so straight out in the first angry flush of my rejection - but this string business, with everything left hanging in the air, so to speak, made a fellow feel like thirty cents.
what does the phrase \string business\ mean in the passage?
a. an unfortunate breakup
b. a humiliated man
c. a sewing company
d. an uncertain situation

Explanation:

The phrase "string business" is followed by "with everything left hanging in the air", which implies an uncertain situation.

Answer:

D. an uncertain situation