Question

angry and sick at heart, thetis went straight to the sky. she found zeus, king of the gods, sitting alone on the highest mountain of olympus. she sat at his feet and clasped his knees. \father zeus,\ she begged, \if ive ever done anything for you, grant me this boon: please honor my son, who is doomed to an early death, and who now has been insulted by agamemnon. zeus, lord, returns honor to achilles. favor the trojans, grant them victory, until the greeks give achilles the respect he deserves.\ zeus sighed unhappily, \this will cause trouble,\ he said. \it is sure to get me into a quarrel with my wife, hera. she already says i favor the trojans too much. but go now before she sees you. i will take care of this and see that it happens. still, to show you i will do what you ask, i will nod my head. this is my solemn pledge. once i have made it, i never fail to do what i say.\ and when zeus nodded, the whole mountain of olympus, covered in clouds, shook with the power of it.
part 1: vocabulary

1. to clasp something means to:

a. loosen it
b. hold tightly
c. drop it accidentally

1. is a boon good or bad?

part 2: comprehension questions

1. why does thetis ask zeus to favor the trojan army?
2. why is zeus reluctant to help thetis?
3. what is the significance of zeus nodding his head?

Explanation:

The word "clasp" in the context of "She sat at his feet and clasped his knees" implies a tight - hold. By analyzing the text and the common usage of the word "clasp", we can determine its meaning.

Answer:

b. Hold tightly