Question

select the correct answer.

read the sentence from paragraph 5.

my muscles, perfectly attuned and accustomed to the force of gravity on earth, played the mischief with me in attempting for the first time to cope with the lesser gravitation and lower air pressure on mars.

what does the phrase \played the mischief with me\ convey about the narrators muscles?

they were achy and tired.
they were not cooperating.
they required slow movement.
they were adjusting to mars.

Explanation:

Analyze the target phrase

The phrase "played the mischief with me" is an idiomatic expression. "To play the mischief with" means to cause trouble, disruption, or to behave in an uncooperative and unpredictable manner.

Examine the context clues

The narrator explains that their muscles are "perfectly attuned and accustomed to the force of gravity on Earth." When attempting to cope with the "lesser gravitation and lower air pressure on Mars," these Earth-attuned muscles did not function as expected. This indicates a struggle with physical control.

Evaluate the options

Using Textual Evidence Analysis, we can evaluate each choice:

• "They were achy and tired": The text focuses on gravity adjustment, not physical exhaustion or soreness.
• "They were not cooperating": This matches "played the mischief," as the muscles are not doing what the narrator intends due to the different gravity.
• "They required slow movement": While true physically, it is not what the specific phrase "played the mischief" conveys.
• "They were adjusting to Mars": The phrase describes the immediate trouble/disruption, not the process of adjustment itself.

Formulate the final conclusion

The phrase conveys that the narrator's muscles were behaving unpredictably and failing to work together properly under the new gravitational conditions. Thus, they were not cooperating.

Answer:

• They were achy and tired.
• They were not cooperating. (Correct answer)
• They required slow movement.
• They were adjusting to Mars.