Question

by mary e. wilkins freeman
it was late in the afternoon, and the light was waning; there was a difference in the look of the tree shadows out in the yard. somewhere in the distance cows were
ing, and a little bell was tinkling, now and then a farm wagon tilted by, and the dust flew; some blue - shirted laborers with shovels over their shoulders plodded past
here seemed to be a gentle stir arising over everything for the mere sake of subsidence - a premonition of rest and hush and night.
this soft commotion was over louisa ellis also. she had been peacefully sewing all the afternoon, now she quilted her needle carefully into her work, which she to
recisely and laid in a basket. louisa could not remember that ever in her life she had mislaid one of these little feminine appurtenances, which had become, from use
onstant association, a part of her personality.
louisa tied a green apron around her waist, got out a flat straw hat with a green ribbon, and then she went into the garden with a little blue crockery bowl, to pick so
urrants for her tea. after the currants were picked, she sat on the back doorstep and stemmed them, collecting the stems carefully in her apron, and afterwards threw
them into the chicken coop; she looked sharply at the grass beside the step to see if any had fallen there.
louisa was slow and still in her movements; it took her a long time to prepare her tea, but when ready it was set forth with as much grace as if she had been a vent
guest to her own self. the little square table stood exactly in the center of the kitchen and was covered with a starched linen cloth whose border pattern of flowers

3

which detail from the passage best supports the idea that louisa is industrious?

a. it took her a long time to prepare her tea

b. she had been peacefully sewing all the afternoon

c. louisa was slow and still in her movements

d. she sat on the back doorstep and stemmed them

Explanation:

To determine which detail supports Louisa being industrious (hard - working), we analyze each option:

• Option A: Taking a long time to prepare tea could be due to slowness rather than industry.
• Option B: Sewing all afternoon shows sustained, productive work, which aligns with being industrious.
• Option C: Being slow and still in movements suggests a lack of speed or energy, not industry.
• Option D: Stemming currants is a single task, while sewing all afternoon shows more consistent effort.

Answer:

B. She had been peacefully sewing all the afternoon