Question
Reading Selections (There are two!)
"An Accidental Meeting"
1Abigail Munson stood under the glow of the gas lamp, waiting for a hansom cab. It was a soggy, cold morning, and she wished she could be at home in front of a warm fire. However, on this dreary January morning, Abigail was on her way to visit her father who was recovering from a long illness.
2 She was lost in thought thinking about how difficult the past few weeks had been for her and her father. It was just the two of them now, and she could not bear the thought of losing him. The sound of hoofbeats jarred her back to the present. As she bent down to collect her belongings, she was suddenly splashed with a drenching spray of muddy water. Shocked by the cold water, Abigail dropped her satchel and let out a loud shriek.
3 Jonathan Crather, who was mending a pair of trousers in his tailor shop, saw the hansom cab roll through the puddle of water and spray a woman with water. He was furious that the driver didn’t stop to apologize. Jonathan dropped the trousers on the table and rushed out the door to render aid to the soaking wet young woman.
4 “Are you alright, ma’am?”
5 Abigail turned around and saw a handsome young man staring intently at her. His thick wavy black hair blew in the cold wind, and his beautiful brown eyes revealed compassion and concern. His tattered and threadbare clothing was covered by a soiled, stained apron. Abigail was mortified to see that several people had witnessed her being splashed by the hansom cab. She supposed she should say something.
6 “Yes, I am alright,” Abigail said, shivering in the cold.
7 “Please allow me to get you out of this dreadful weather. My name is Jonathan Crather, and I own the tailor shop across the street. My assistant, Mrs. Babcock, will gladly assist you in getting dry. Let’s go before you catch pneumonia.” Jonathan picked up her satchel, gently took her by the arm, and led her into his shop.
8 “Thank you, sir. My name is Abigail Munson, and I am so sorry to be so much trouble.”
9 “It is no trouble at all, and please call me Jonathan.”
10 After Mrs. Babcock had gotten Abigail warm and dry, Jonathan escorted Abigail to a comfortable chair in front of a roaring fire and gave her a cup of piping hot tea. Jonathan and Abigail talked for over an hour and discovered they knew some of the same people. She finished her tea and thanked Jonathan for being a kind and thoughtful gentleman.
11 As she opened the door to leave, Jonathan asked her if it would be possible to take her out to dinner. Abigail happily accepted Jonathan’s dinner invitation. She could hardly believe that getting splashed with water would lead to being asked out by a very handsome man. She was humming as she walked down the street, unaware that she was smiling.
"A Day in the Park"
As I walked past the oak tree
In the park that glorious spring day
A handsome, well-dressed gentleman espied me
Through the swaying blooms of May
He walked in my direction
A slight smile formed on his face
He seemed sincere in his affection
And he spoke with style and grace
Could this actually be happening?
Would he fall in love with me?
My heart was wildly beating
As I dreamed of what could be
What is the common theme of both passages?
Responses
Love conquers all.
Love conquers all.
Chance encounter of strangers.
Chance encounter of strangers.
Overcoming adversity.
Overcoming adversity.
The importance of friendship.
"An Accidental Meeting"
1Abigail Munson stood under the glow of the gas lamp, waiting for a hansom cab. It was a soggy, cold morning, and she wished she could be at home in front of a warm fire. However, on this dreary January morning, Abigail was on her way to visit her father who was recovering from a long illness.
2 She was lost in thought thinking about how difficult the past few weeks had been for her and her father. It was just the two of them now, and she could not bear the thought of losing him. The sound of hoofbeats jarred her back to the present. As she bent down to collect her belongings, she was suddenly splashed with a drenching spray of muddy water. Shocked by the cold water, Abigail dropped her satchel and let out a loud shriek.
3 Jonathan Crather, who was mending a pair of trousers in his tailor shop, saw the hansom cab roll through the puddle of water and spray a woman with water. He was furious that the driver didn’t stop to apologize. Jonathan dropped the trousers on the table and rushed out the door to render aid to the soaking wet young woman.
4 “Are you alright, ma’am?”
5 Abigail turned around and saw a handsome young man staring intently at her. His thick wavy black hair blew in the cold wind, and his beautiful brown eyes revealed compassion and concern. His tattered and threadbare clothing was covered by a soiled, stained apron. Abigail was mortified to see that several people had witnessed her being splashed by the hansom cab. She supposed she should say something.
6 “Yes, I am alright,” Abigail said, shivering in the cold.
7 “Please allow me to get you out of this dreadful weather. My name is Jonathan Crather, and I own the tailor shop across the street. My assistant, Mrs. Babcock, will gladly assist you in getting dry. Let’s go before you catch pneumonia.” Jonathan picked up her satchel, gently took her by the arm, and led her into his shop.
8 “Thank you, sir. My name is Abigail Munson, and I am so sorry to be so much trouble.”
9 “It is no trouble at all, and please call me Jonathan.”
10 After Mrs. Babcock had gotten Abigail warm and dry, Jonathan escorted Abigail to a comfortable chair in front of a roaring fire and gave her a cup of piping hot tea. Jonathan and Abigail talked for over an hour and discovered they knew some of the same people. She finished her tea and thanked Jonathan for being a kind and thoughtful gentleman.
11 As she opened the door to leave, Jonathan asked her if it would be possible to take her out to dinner. Abigail happily accepted Jonathan’s dinner invitation. She could hardly believe that getting splashed with water would lead to being asked out by a very handsome man. She was humming as she walked down the street, unaware that she was smiling.
"A Day in the Park"
As I walked past the oak tree
In the park that glorious spring day
A handsome, well-dressed gentleman espied me
Through the swaying blooms of May
He walked in my direction
A slight smile formed on his face
He seemed sincere in his affection
And he spoke with style and grace
Could this actually be happening?
Would he fall in love with me?
My heart was wildly beating
As I dreamed of what could be
What is the common theme of both passages?
Responses
Love conquers all.
Love conquers all.
Chance encounter of strangers.
Chance encounter of strangers.
Overcoming adversity.
Overcoming adversity.
The importance of friendship.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The common theme of both passages is **chance encounter of strangers.**
In "An Accidental Meeting," Abigail meets Jonathan unexpectedly when she gets splashed by a hansom cab, leading to a significant connection between them. Similarly, in "A Day in the Park," the speaker encounters a handsome gentleman, creating a moment filled with potential and possibility. Both passages illustrate how unplanned encounters can lead to meaningful interactions.
In "An Accidental Meeting," Abigail meets Jonathan unexpectedly when she gets splashed by a hansom cab, leading to a significant connection between them. Similarly, in "A Day in the Park," the speaker encounters a handsome gentleman, creating a moment filled with potential and possibility. Both passages illustrate how unplanned encounters can lead to meaningful interactions.