Question

the pleasure of writing by a. a. milne (excerpt) the pleasure of writing is one of the essays in the book not that it matters. it was written in the early 1900s by british author a. a. milne, who is best known for his winnie - the - pooh stories. (1) sometimes when the printer is waiting for an article which really should have been sent to him the day before, i sit at my desk and wonder if there is any possible subject in the whole world upon which i can possibly find anything to say. on one such occasion i left it to fate, which decided, by means of a dictionary opened at random, that i should deliver myself of a few thoughts about goldfish. (you will find this article later on in the book.) but to - day i do not need to bother about a subject. to - day i am without a care. nothing less has happened than that i have a new nib¹ in my pen. (2) in the ordinary way, when shakespeare writes a tragedy, or mr. blank gives you one of his charming little essays, a certain amount of thought goes on before pen is put to paper. one cannot write \scene i. an open place. thunder and lightning. enter three witches,\ or \as i look up from my window, the nodding daffodils beckon to me to take the morning,\ one cannot give of ones best in this way on the spur of the moment. at least, others cannot. but when i have a new nib in my pen, then i can go straight from my breakfast to the blotting - paper, and a new sheet of foolscap fills itself select the correct answer. what is a central idea of this essay? a. sometimes it can be hard to find inspiration when writing. b. the author received advice to write more generously. c. the author had a friend whose uncle manufactured nibs. d. there is a lot to appreciate in the simple details of writing.

Explanation:

• Option A: The excerpt focuses on the pleasure from a new nib, not on difficulty finding inspiration. Eliminate A.
• Option B: There's no mention of receiving advice to write more generously. Eliminate B.
• Option C: The friend's uncle manufacturing nibs is a minor detail, not a central idea. Eliminate C.
• Option D: The author emphasizes the joy from simple writing details like a new nib, and the essay's title is "The Pleasure of Writing", so this matches the central idea of appreciating simple writing details.

Answer:

D. There is a lot to appreciate in the simple details of writing.