Question
We went out onto his deck and I looked out over the vista before us—a sunken Italian garden, a half-acre of pungent roses, a rolling, perfectly manicured lawn that extended to the sea, and a snub-nosed motorboat that bumped the tide offshore.
“I’ve got a pretty decent place here,” he said, his eyes flashing about restlessly.
Question
Use the excerpt from a story to answer the question.
What is suggested about the character’s personality by the author’s use of understatement in the excerpt?
(1 point)
Responses
The character might be uncomfortable with their wealth.
The character might be uncomfortable with their wealth.
The character takes his or her living situation seriously.
The character takes his or her living situation seriously.
The character is egotistical.
The character is egotistical.
The character is secretive.
“I’ve got a pretty decent place here,” he said, his eyes flashing about restlessly.
Question
Use the excerpt from a story to answer the question.
What is suggested about the character’s personality by the author’s use of understatement in the excerpt?
(1 point)
Responses
The character might be uncomfortable with their wealth.
The character might be uncomfortable with their wealth.
The character takes his or her living situation seriously.
The character takes his or her living situation seriously.
The character is egotistical.
The character is egotistical.
The character is secretive.
Answers
GPT-4 Turbo
The character is egotistical.
In the given excerpt, the use of understatement in the phrase "I’ve got a pretty decent place here," juxtaposed against the lavish descriptions of the surroundings, suggests that the character has a tendency to downplay the extravagance of their wealth, possibly to feign modesty or to elicit a reaction of surprise or admiration from others. This can be perceived as a sign of egotism, as the character seems to be aware of the impressiveness of their estate and takes a certain pride in it, yet chooses to describe it in a nonchalant manner. Their eyes flashing about restlessly might hint at their desire to gauge the impact their words and the sight of their property have on others, further supporting the interpretation of egotism.
In the given excerpt, the use of understatement in the phrase "I’ve got a pretty decent place here," juxtaposed against the lavish descriptions of the surroundings, suggests that the character has a tendency to downplay the extravagance of their wealth, possibly to feign modesty or to elicit a reaction of surprise or admiration from others. This can be perceived as a sign of egotism, as the character seems to be aware of the impressiveness of their estate and takes a certain pride in it, yet chooses to describe it in a nonchalant manner. Their eyes flashing about restlessly might hint at their desire to gauge the impact their words and the sight of their property have on others, further supporting the interpretation of egotism.