Question

not among mortals alone were there contests of skill, nor yet among the gods. many sorrows befall humans because they grew arrogant in their own devices and coveted divine honors. there was once a great hunter, oton, who surpassed the gods themselves, till they took him away from his hunting grounds and set him in the night sky, with his sword and belt, and his hound at his heels. but at length, jealousy invaded even the peaceful arts, and disaster came of weaving. there was a certain maiden of lydia, arachne by name, renowned throughout the country for her skill as a weaver. she was as nimble with her fingers as calypso, that nymph who kept odysseus for seven years in her enchanted island. she was as untiring as penelope, the hero’s wife, who wove day after day while she watched for his return. day in and day out, arachne wove too. the nymphs would gather about her loom, sprits from the water and trees, “maiden,” they would say, shaking the leaves or the foam from their hair in wonder, “athena must have taught you to spin such thread!” but this did not please arachne. she would not acknowledge herself as a debtor, even to that goddess who protected all household arts, and by whose grace alone one had any skill in them. “i learned not of athena,” she said. “if she can weave better, let her come and try.” the nymphs shivered at this, and an aged woman, who was looking on, turned to arachne. “be more prudent with your words, my daughter,” the elder woman said. “the goddess may pardon you if you ask forgiveness, but do not strive for honors with the immortals.” arachne broke her thread, and the shuttle stopped. “keep your counsel,” she said. “i fear not athena, no, nor anyone else.” 10 as she frowned at the old woman, she was amazed to see the old woman change suddenly into a tall, majestic beautiful maiden with gray eyes and golden hair, crowned with a golden helmet. it was athena herself. question 6 what is the meaning of “prudent” as it is used in paragraph 7? a. capable b. careful c. confident d. cunning

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "prudent" in the passage, we analyze the context. The elder woman advises her daughter to be prudent with words and not strive for honors with immortals. "Prudent" here means being careful or cautious in speech and actions, which aligns with option B (careful). Option A (capable) refers to ability, C (confident) to self - assurance, and D (cunning) to slyness, none of which fit the context of the advice given.

Answer:

B. careful