Question
Time flew by. The leaves seemed to flash into bright colors and fall off almost in a day. Frost and snow came. Still the uncle had not returned, or, if he had, she did not know it. Her brain was bewildered. She knew not whether she ate or slept. Only the terrible firing reached her ears, or that living black cloud came and went with its ceaseless “caw.”
At last, during a terrible night of wind and storm, Cora felt that she must go forth and seek her poor bird.
“Perhaps he is freezing—dying!” she cried, springing frantically from the bed, and casting her long cloak over her night-dress.
In a moment, she was trudging barefooted through the snow. It was so deep she could hardly walk, and the sleet was driving into her face; still she kept on, though her numbed feet seemed hardly to belong to her. All the way she was praying in her heart; promising never, never to be passionate again, if she only could find her bird—not Ruky the boy, but whatever he might be. She was willing to accept her punishment. Soon a faint cry reached her ear. With eager haste, she peered into every fold of the drifted snow. A black object caught her eye. It was a poor storm-beaten crow, lying there benumbed and stiff.
For Ruky’s sake she folded it closely to her bosom, and plodded back to the cottage. The fire cast a rosy light on its glossy wing as she entered, but the poor thing did not stir. Softly stroking and warming it, she wrapped the frozen bird in soft flannel and blew into its open mouth. Soon, to her great relief, it revived, and even swallowed a few grains of wheat.
Cold and weary, she cast herself upon the bed, still folding the bird to her heart. “It may be Ruky! It is all I ask,” she sobbed. “I dare not ask for more.”
Suddenly she felt a peculiar stirring. The crow seemed to grow larger. Then, in the dim light, she felt its feathers pressing lightly against her cheek. Next, something soft and warm wound itself tenderly about her neck, and she heard a sweet voice saying:
“Don’t cry, Cor,—I’ll be good.”
She started up. It was, indeed, her own darling! The starlight shone into the room. Lighting her candle, she looked at the clock.
It was just two hours since she had uttered those cruel words! Sobbing, she asked:
“Have I been asleep, Ruky, dear?”
“I don’t know, Cor. Do people cry when they’re asleep?”
“Sometimes, Ruky,” clasping him very close.
“Then you have been asleep. But Cor, please don’t let Uncle whip Ruky.” “No, no, my little bird—I mean, my brother. Good night, darling!” “Good night.”
"The Crow Child" by Mary Mapes Dodge
Question
Use the story to answer the question.
How do Cora’s motivations advance the plot?
(1 point)
Responses
Her desire to get her brother back leads to actions that resolve the plot.
Her desire to get her brother back leads to actions that resolve the plot.
Her desire to get her brother back sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to get her brother back sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to punish her brother for annoying her sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to punish her brother for annoying her sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to be a better sister leads her to take actions that resolve the plot.
Her desire to be a better sister leads her to take actions that resolve the plot.
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At last, during a terrible night of wind and storm, Cora felt that she must go forth and seek her poor bird.
“Perhaps he is freezing—dying!” she cried, springing frantically from the bed, and casting her long cloak over her night-dress.
In a moment, she was trudging barefooted through the snow. It was so deep she could hardly walk, and the sleet was driving into her face; still she kept on, though her numbed feet seemed hardly to belong to her. All the way she was praying in her heart; promising never, never to be passionate again, if she only could find her bird—not Ruky the boy, but whatever he might be. She was willing to accept her punishment. Soon a faint cry reached her ear. With eager haste, she peered into every fold of the drifted snow. A black object caught her eye. It was a poor storm-beaten crow, lying there benumbed and stiff.
For Ruky’s sake she folded it closely to her bosom, and plodded back to the cottage. The fire cast a rosy light on its glossy wing as she entered, but the poor thing did not stir. Softly stroking and warming it, she wrapped the frozen bird in soft flannel and blew into its open mouth. Soon, to her great relief, it revived, and even swallowed a few grains of wheat.
Cold and weary, she cast herself upon the bed, still folding the bird to her heart. “It may be Ruky! It is all I ask,” she sobbed. “I dare not ask for more.”
Suddenly she felt a peculiar stirring. The crow seemed to grow larger. Then, in the dim light, she felt its feathers pressing lightly against her cheek. Next, something soft and warm wound itself tenderly about her neck, and she heard a sweet voice saying:
“Don’t cry, Cor,—I’ll be good.”
She started up. It was, indeed, her own darling! The starlight shone into the room. Lighting her candle, she looked at the clock.
It was just two hours since she had uttered those cruel words! Sobbing, she asked:
“Have I been asleep, Ruky, dear?”
“I don’t know, Cor. Do people cry when they’re asleep?”
“Sometimes, Ruky,” clasping him very close.
“Then you have been asleep. But Cor, please don’t let Uncle whip Ruky.” “No, no, my little bird—I mean, my brother. Good night, darling!” “Good night.”
"The Crow Child" by Mary Mapes Dodge
Question
Use the story to answer the question.
How do Cora’s motivations advance the plot?
(1 point)
Responses
Her desire to get her brother back leads to actions that resolve the plot.
Her desire to get her brother back leads to actions that resolve the plot.
Her desire to get her brother back sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to get her brother back sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to punish her brother for annoying her sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to punish her brother for annoying her sets the main plot in motion.
Her desire to be a better sister leads her to take actions that resolve the plot.
Her desire to be a better sister leads her to take actions that resolve the plot.
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Answers
GPT-4o mini
Cora’s motivations advance the plot primarily through her desire to get her brother back, which sets the main plot in motion. This longing prompts her to leave the safety of her home despite the harsh winter conditions, illustrating her desperation and emotional turmoil. Her actions in seeking her brother lead to the climax of the story when she finds the crow and ultimately realizes that it is indeed her brother, Ruky, transformed. This desire drives the narrative forward and ultimately leads to the resolution where Cora is reunited with Ruky. Therefore, the best response is:
**Her desire to get her brother back sets the main plot in motion.**
**Her desire to get her brother back sets the main plot in motion.**