Question

read the excerpt from the red badge of courage. in this excerpt, henry fleming is reflecting on his mother’s reaction to the news that he enlisted in the union army during the american civil war. still, she had disappointed him by saying nothing whatever about returning with his shield or on it. he had privately primed himself for a beautiful scene. he had prepared certain sentences which he thought could be used with touching effect. but her words destroyed his plans. she had doggedly peeled potatoes and addressed him as follows: \you watch out, henry, an’ take good care of yerself in this here fighting business—you watch, an’ take good care of yerself. don’t go a-thinkin’ you can lick the hull rebel army at the start, because yeh can’t. yer jest one little feller amongst a hull lot of others, and yeh’ve got to keep quiet an’ do what they tell yeh. i know how you are, henry.\ based on this excerpt, what is henry’s mother most likely to believe about henry? he already has excellent fighting skills. he has a history of disobeying authority. he is a suitable candidate to go to war. he will suffer from homesickness.

Explanation:

1. Analyze Option A: The mother's words don't imply Henry has excellent fighting skills; she tells him to be careful, so A is incorrect.
2. Analyze Option B: The mother says "yeh've got to keep quiet an' do what they tell yeh" which suggests she thinks he might not follow authority, so she reminds him to obey. This fits with the idea he has a history of disobeying (or she fears he will), so B is a candidate.
3. Analyze Option C: The mother's advice is about being careful and following orders, not that he is suitable for war. She doesn't praise his suitability, so C is incorrect.
4. Analyze Option D: The mother's words are about safety and obedience, not homesickness, so D is incorrect.

Answer:

B. He has a history of disobeying authority.