Question

now the king had a grand-vizir who was avaricious, and envious, and a very bad man. he grew extremely jealous of the physician, and determined to bring about his ruin.
in order to do this he asked to speak in private with the king, saying that he had a most important communication to make.
\what is it?\ asked the king.
\sire,\ answered the grand-vizir, \it is most dangerous for a monarch to confide in a man whose faithfulness is not proved. you do not know that this physician is not a traitor come here to assassinate you.\
-\the story of the greek king and the physician douban,\
andrew lang

what inferences can be made about the grand-vizirs motivations for speaking with the king in private?
check all that apply.
he wants the kings complete attention.
he does not want anyone to warn douban.
he believes that the king will shame him in public.
he is embarrassed to publicly question doubans loyalty.
he is afraid of someone pointing out the error of his false accusations.

Explanation:

Analyze the grand-vizir's character and goals

The passage describes the grand-vizir as "avaricious, and envious, and a very bad man." He is "extremely jealous of the physician" (Douban) and is "determined to bring about his ruin." To achieve this, he requests a private meeting with the king. Using Character Motivation Analysis, we understand his primary goal is to destroy Douban's reputation and standing with the king through false accusations.

Evaluate the private setting motivation

By asking to speak in private, the grand-vizir ensures that his conversation is confidential. This choice of setting serves several strategic purposes:

1. He wants the king's complete attention: A private audience ensures there are no distractions, allowing his manipulative words to have the maximum impact on the king.
2. He does not want anyone to warn Douban: If he made these accusations publicly, word would quickly reach the physician, allowing Douban to defend himself or flee before the king could act.
3. He is afraid of someone pointing out the error of his false accusations: In a public setting, other courtiers or advisors might defend the physician, point out Douban's innocence, or expose the grand-vizir's jealousy and lies. A private setting prevents immediate contradiction.

Assess the incorrect options

Let's look at the remaining choices using Textual Evidence:

• He believes that the king will shame him in public: There is no evidence suggesting the grand-vizir fears being shamed by the king; rather, he is confident in his ability to manipulate the monarch.
• He is embarrassed to publicly question Douban's loyalty: The grand-vizir is described as a "very bad man" driven by intense jealousy. He is not motivated by embarrassment or shame, but by calculated malice.

Therefore, the correct inferences are that he wants the king's complete attention, he does not want anyone to warn Douban, and he is afraid of someone pointing out the error of his false accusations.

Answer:

• He wants the king's complete attention. (Correct answer)
• He does not want anyone to warn Douban. (Correct answer)
• He believes that the king will shame him in public.
• He is embarrassed to publicly question Douban's loyalty.
• He is afraid of someone pointing out the error of his false accusations. (Correct answer)