Prissy Baker was in Oscar Miller’s store New Year’s morning, buying matches—for New Year’s was not kept as a business holiday in Quincy—when her uncle, Richard Baker, came in. He did not look at Prissy, nor did she wish him a happy New Year’s—she would not have dared. Uncle Richard had not been on speaking terms with her or her father, his only brother, for eight years. (2) While in the store, Prissy overhears her uncle Richard explain that he is on his way to a neighboring town, Navarre, and that he has no one to make his New Year’s dinner. Prissy decides to go to his house, make a surprise dinner for him, and leave before he returns. She acts on her plan, cooking a dinner at his house. As she prepares to dish it out, she suddenly hears a voice behind her. (3) “Well, well, what does this mean?” (4) Prissy whirled around as if she had been shot, and there stood Uncle Richard in the woodshed door! (5) Poor Prissy! She could not have looked or felt more guilty if Uncle Richard had caught her robbing his desk. She did not drop the turnips for a wonder; but she was too confused to set them down, so she stood there holding them, her face crimson, her heart thumping, and a horrible choking in her throat. (6) “I— I— came up to cook your dinner for you, Uncle Richard,” she stammered. “I heard you say—in the store—that Mrs. Janeway had gone home and that you had nobody to cook your New Year’s dinner for you. So I thought I’d come and do it, but I meant to slip away before you came home.” (7) Poor Prissy felt that she would never get to the end of her explanation. Would Uncle Richard be angry? Would he order her from the house?

Question

(8) “It was very kind of you,” said Uncle Richard dryly. “It’s a wonder your father let you come.” (9) “Father was not home, but I am sure he would not have prevented me if he had been. Father has no hard feelings against you, Uncle Richard.” (10) “Humph!” said Uncle Richard. “Well, since you’ve cooked the dinner you must stop and help me eat it. It smells good, I must say. Mrs. Janeway always burns pork when she roasts it. Sit down, Prissy. I’m hungry.” (11) They sat down. Prissy felt quite giddy and breathless, and could hardly eat for excitement; but Uncle Richard had evidently brought home a good appetite from Navarre, and he did full justice to his New Year’s dinner. He talked to Prissy too, quite kindly and politely, and when the meal was over he said slowly: (12) “I’m much obliged to you, Prissy, and I don’t mind owning to you that I’m sorry for my share in the quarrel, and have wanted for a long time to be friends with your father again, but I was too ashamed and proud to make the first advance. You can tell him so for me, if you like. And if he’s willing to let bygones be bygones, tell him I’d like him to come up here with you tonight when he gets home and spend the evening with me.” (13) “Oh, he will come, I know!” cried Prissy joyfully. “He has felt so badly about not being friendly with you, Uncle Richard. I’m as glad as can be.” (14) Prissy ran impulsively around the table and kissed Uncle Richard. He looked up at his tall, girlish niece with a smile of pleasure. (15) “You’re a good girl, Prissy, and a kind-hearted one too, or you’d never have come up here to cook a dinner for a crabbed old uncle who deserved to eat cold dinners for his stubbornness. It made me cross today when folks wished me a happy New Year. It seemed like mockery when I hadn’t a soul belonging to me to make it happy. But it has brought me happiness already, and I believe it will be a happy year all the way through.” (16) “Indeed it will!” laughed Prissy. “I’m so happy now I could sing. I believe it was an inspiration—my idea of coming up here to cook your dinner for you.” (17) “You must promise to come and cook my New Year’s dinner for me every New Year we live near enough together,” said Uncle Richard. (18) And Prissy promised.
. Which of the following choices best explains the plot of this story? a. Prissy is a young girl who wishes to help others, while her uncle Richard is an unpleasant person who has quarreled with his family. b. The story takes place on New Year’s in Oscar Miller’s store and in Uncle Richard’s house during some period in the past. c. Uncle Richard has quarreled with Prissy’s father, but when Prissy cooks her uncle a surprise meal, she inspires a reconciliation. d. The writer uses fairly formal language, and all the characters speak in a way that suggests that the story is set in the past.

Answer 1

The choice that best explains the plot of the story is: c. Uncle Richard has quarreled with Prissy’s father, but when Prissy cooks her uncle a surprise meal, she inspires a reconciliation.

This option captures the main conflict between Uncle Richard and his brother, Prissy's father, and highlights Prissy's actions that lead to the reconciliation between them.