From Tiverton town to the town of Oare is a very long and painful road, and in good truth the traveler must make his way, as the saying is; for the way is still unmade, at least, on this side of Dulverton, although there is less danger now than in the time of my schooling; for now a good horse may go there without much cost of leaping, but when I was a boy the spurs would fail, when needed most, by reason of the [deep mudi. It is to the credit of this age... that now we have laid down rods and [bundled twigs] and even stump-oaks here and there, so that a man in good daylight need not sink.

Question

From Tiverton town to the town of Oare is a very long and painful road, and in good truth the traveler must make his way, as the saying is; for the way is still unmade, at least, on this side of Dulverton, although there is less danger now than in the time of my schooling; for now a good horse may go there without much cost of leaping, but when I was a boy the spurs would fail, when needed most, by reason of the [deep mudi. It is to the credit of this age... that now we have laid down rods and [bundled twigs] and even stump-oaks here and there, so that a man in good daylight need not sink.
(from Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore)

This phrase is from the passage.

"From Tiverton town to the town of Oare is a very long and painful road"

Why does the narrator describe the road as painful?

• 1. The road brings back memories from childhood.

• 2. The road has twigs and tree stumps lying across it.

• 3. The road is continually traveled on by people on horseback.

• 4. The road is an unfinished dirt surface that makes travel difficult.

GPT 3.5 · Answer

The correct answer is 4. The road is an unfinished dirt surface that makes travel difficult.