5. Reread the lines from the passage. Then answer the question that follows. [John comes bursting into the room from outside and slams the door behind him.] John: Oh, Mother, Father has been hurt! A log fell on his leg when he was trying to help the horse get it out of the mud, and he can’t get up. We need your help! [The children stand up suddenly and run to their mother. They cry in dismay. Mother closes her eyes, presses her hands against the counter, and takes a deep breath.] What function do the stage directions most clearly perform in these lines? a. They reveal a hidden truth. b. They reassure the audience. c. They describe the characters’ physical appearance. d. They reveal characters’ emotions.
1 answer
The correct answer is d. They reveal characters’ emotions.
The stage directions describe the actions of the characters, such as John's urgent entrance and the children's dismay, as well as the mother's reaction of closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, which all convey their emotional states in response to the crisis.
