Question
What is most closely the central idea of the passage below (paragraphs 15-18)?
“Mornin, ladies,” a new man said. He had come up behind us when we weren’t lookin. “And gents,” discoverin the twins givin him a nasty look. “We’re filmin for the county,” he said with a smile. “Mind if we shoot a bit around here?”
“I do indeed,” said Granny with no smile. Smilin man was smilin up a storm. So was Cathy. But he didn’t seem to have another word to say, so he and the camera man backed on out the yard, but you could hear the camera buzzin still. “Suppose you just shut that machine off,” said Granny real low through her teeth, and took a step down off the porch and then another.
“Now, aunty,” Camera said, pointin the thing straight at her.
“Your mama and I are not related.”
A. The men can’t hear Granny because she is speaking too quietly.
B. Cathy thinks the men are funny.
C. The men are patronizing Granny, which makes her angry.
D. Granny has misjudged the smiling man’s character.
“Mornin, ladies,” a new man said. He had come up behind us when we weren’t lookin. “And gents,” discoverin the twins givin him a nasty look. “We’re filmin for the county,” he said with a smile. “Mind if we shoot a bit around here?”
“I do indeed,” said Granny with no smile. Smilin man was smilin up a storm. So was Cathy. But he didn’t seem to have another word to say, so he and the camera man backed on out the yard, but you could hear the camera buzzin still. “Suppose you just shut that machine off,” said Granny real low through her teeth, and took a step down off the porch and then another.
“Now, aunty,” Camera said, pointin the thing straight at her.
“Your mama and I are not related.”
A. The men can’t hear Granny because she is speaking too quietly.
B. Cathy thinks the men are funny.
C. The men are patronizing Granny, which makes her angry.
D. Granny has misjudged the smiling man’s character.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The central idea of the passage is best captured by option C: "The men are patronizing Granny, which makes her angry." Throughout the exchange, the man’s condescending attitude and the way Granny responds indicates her irritation with being treated dismissively.