Question
An April Morning
I didn't sleep at all that horrible April night. I stared at the ceiling as my husband prepared himself for the moment he would be called upon to stand up for all he'd worked for. He had attended town meetings with other men who engaged in thinking about the moment the entire town knew would be inevitable. As I lay in bed pretending to sleep, I could hear the pounding of my heart. It was screaming to me to run out there and beg my husband not to go. I had pleaded with him to ignore this nonsense many times before, but he was a determined man. It was his determination and pride that attracted me to him in the first place; it would have been contradictory and futile for me to expect him to change now, so I decided to keep my worries to myself this morning.
Suddenly, I heard the sounds of other men entering our house. "They're here! They're on our shores and headed this way! Douglas Adams estimated that there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of Red Coats marching toward Lexington this minute," one voice said excitedly.
"If that's true, they should be here within a few hours. Keep the faith and believe in your values. We are good people, and I'm sure these red–coated men are reasonable. We'll greet them and explain to them that we are simple folks who mean them no harm," my husband said in an attempt to rekindle the mood of their last town meeting.
"I don't trust them! I'm ready for a fight. I have my gun and enough ammunition to show them we mean to protect ourselves and our town," responded another man. "It shouldn't be too difficult to do because they're easy targets; I'm told their red coats can easily be seen, even through this thick, morning fog."
I debated whether or not to get up and beg all of them to stay hidden in our house. Their excitement this morning was grander than I'd seen before. However, I knew they would never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help to protect our humble, little town. My husband came in to kiss me goodbye. He assured me that he'd be back before supper. I looked up at him and remained speechless. The only communication I was able to give him was a slight smile as though it were the last time I'd capture a glance at his beautiful blue eyes. My husband never made it home for dinner.
Multiple Choice Question
Which of the following lines from the story BEST summarizes the theme of the text?
A.
I debated whether or not to get up and beg all of them to stay hidden in our house.
B.
"I don't trust them! I'm ready for a fight."
C.
It was screaming to me to run out there and beg my husband not to go.
D.
However, I knew they would never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help to protect our humble, little town.
I didn't sleep at all that horrible April night. I stared at the ceiling as my husband prepared himself for the moment he would be called upon to stand up for all he'd worked for. He had attended town meetings with other men who engaged in thinking about the moment the entire town knew would be inevitable. As I lay in bed pretending to sleep, I could hear the pounding of my heart. It was screaming to me to run out there and beg my husband not to go. I had pleaded with him to ignore this nonsense many times before, but he was a determined man. It was his determination and pride that attracted me to him in the first place; it would have been contradictory and futile for me to expect him to change now, so I decided to keep my worries to myself this morning.
Suddenly, I heard the sounds of other men entering our house. "They're here! They're on our shores and headed this way! Douglas Adams estimated that there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of Red Coats marching toward Lexington this minute," one voice said excitedly.
"If that's true, they should be here within a few hours. Keep the faith and believe in your values. We are good people, and I'm sure these red–coated men are reasonable. We'll greet them and explain to them that we are simple folks who mean them no harm," my husband said in an attempt to rekindle the mood of their last town meeting.
"I don't trust them! I'm ready for a fight. I have my gun and enough ammunition to show them we mean to protect ourselves and our town," responded another man. "It shouldn't be too difficult to do because they're easy targets; I'm told their red coats can easily be seen, even through this thick, morning fog."
I debated whether or not to get up and beg all of them to stay hidden in our house. Their excitement this morning was grander than I'd seen before. However, I knew they would never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help to protect our humble, little town. My husband came in to kiss me goodbye. He assured me that he'd be back before supper. I looked up at him and remained speechless. The only communication I was able to give him was a slight smile as though it were the last time I'd capture a glance at his beautiful blue eyes. My husband never made it home for dinner.
Multiple Choice Question
Which of the following lines from the story BEST summarizes the theme of the text?
A.
I debated whether or not to get up and beg all of them to stay hidden in our house.
B.
"I don't trust them! I'm ready for a fight."
C.
It was screaming to me to run out there and beg my husband not to go.
D.
However, I knew they would never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help to protect our humble, little town.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The line that BEST summarizes the theme of the text is:
D. However, I knew they would never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help to protect our humble, little town.
This line encapsulates the internal conflict between personal fears and the sense of duty and pride felt by the men in the story. It highlights the theme of sacrifice and the motivations behind their choices in the face of danger.
D. However, I knew they would never be able to live with themselves if they didn't help to protect our humble, little town.
This line encapsulates the internal conflict between personal fears and the sense of duty and pride felt by the men in the story. It highlights the theme of sacrifice and the motivations behind their choices in the face of danger.