Question

review the eighth and ninth paragraphs.

from last year to figure out who sailed with us,\ alec explained. \father kept logs of each ships crew and what each crew member was paid.\

8 \oh. i thought there were more crew members than that,\ said james.

9 \we dont track the ones who work in exchange for their passage,\ alec replied. he expected james to lose interest, but still james hovered over his shoulder, staring intently at the book. alec couldnt figure out why james was so interested. maybe it was just seeing their dads handwriting again. it didnt matter. he was growing impatient. \will you let me get back to work now?\

what is the purpose of this exchange between alec and james?

to show how careless their father was about keeping accurate records

to show how james feigns interest in the logbooks to avoid his work

to show how little james understands about shipbuilding

to show what gives james the idea to go looking for his father

Explanation:

Analyze the context of the exchange

The eighth and ninth paragraphs show an exchange between Alec and James. Alec explains that their father kept logs of each ship's crew and what they were paid. James remarks that he thought there were more crew members. Alec explains that they do not track those who work in exchange for passage. Alec notices James staring intently at the book and wonders why he is so interested, thinking, "Maybe it was just seeing their dad's handwriting again."

Evaluate the options based on textual evidence

• Option 1 ("to show how careless their father was..."): The text states their father kept logs of each crew member and their pay, which shows care rather than carelessness. The omission of unpaid crew members is a standard tracking rule, not carelessness.
• Option 2 ("to show how James feigns interest..."): The text states James is "staring intently at the book" and Alec "couldn't figure out why James was so interested." There is no indication that James is faking interest to avoid work.
• Option 3 ("to show how little James understands about shipbuilding"): The logbooks are about crew members and payments, not the technical aspects of shipbuilding.
• Option 4 ("to show what gives James the idea to go looking for his father"): The exchange reveals that some crew members (those working for passage) are not tracked in the official logs. This gap in the records, combined with James's intense interest in the logs and his father's handwriting, provides the catalyst or clue that inspires him to look for his father.

Connect to core reading skills

Using the Reading Comprehension knowledge point, we analyze character motivations and plot development. The dialogue highlights a discrepancy in the records (untracked passengers working for passage), which serves as a narrative turning point to explain James's sudden focus and subsequent actions.

Answer:

• to show how careless their father was about keeping accurate records
• to show how James feigns interest in the logbooks to avoid his work
• to show how little James understands about shipbuilding
• to show what gives James the idea to go looking for his father (Correct answer)