Question

read the passage from hans christian andersens \the princess and the pea.\

once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess. he travelled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted. there were princesses enough, but it was difficult to find out whether they were real ones. there was always something about them that was not as it should be. so he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess.

one evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate, and the old king went to open it.

it was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. but, good gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look.

which quotation from the passage best supports the theme that appearances can be deceiving?

\once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess.\
\so he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess.\
\one evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents.\
\but, good gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look.\

Explanation:

Analyze the theme

Using the Theme Analysis knowledge point
The theme "appearances can be deceiving" means that the way someone or something looks on the outside does not necessarily reflect their true nature, identity, or worth on the inside.

Evaluate the options

Using the Textual Evidence knowledge point

• Option 1 describes the prince's initial quest to find a real princess. It establishes his goal but does not show a contrast between outward appearance and inner reality.
• Option 2 describes the prince's sadness upon returning home empty-handed. This focuses on his emotional state rather than deceptive appearances.
• Option 3 describes the setting and the storm, which sets a dramatic mood but does not relate to the theme of deceptive appearances.
• Option 4 highlights how disheveled, wet, and ruined the princess looked due to the storm ("What a sight the rain and the wind had made her look"). Despite her bedraggled and un-princess-like outward appearance, she is actually a real princess. This directly supports the theme that appearances can be deceiving.

Answer:

• (A) "Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess."
• (B) "So he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess."
• (C) "One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents."
• (D) "But, good gracious! What a sight the rain and the wind had made her look." (Correct answer)