The two details from the passage that support the correct answer choice are:
A - His features were good--a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well-fitting frock coat.
B - My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader's farthest advance.
Author Choice- Short Story Excerpt
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a short story written in 1890. The setting is the American Civil War.
(1) The man who was engaged in being hanged was apparently about thirty-five years of age. He was a civilian, if one might judge from his habit, which was that of a planter. His features were good--a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock coat. He wore a moustache and pointed beard, but no whiskers; his eyes were large and dark gray, and had a kindly expression which one would hardly have expected in one whose neck was in the hemp. Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded.
(2) The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had been standing. The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in turn moved apart one pace. These movements left the condemned man and the sergeant standing on the two ends of the same plank, which spanned three of the cross-ties of the bridge. The end upon which the civilian stood almost, but not quite, reached a fourth. This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant. At a signal from the former the latter would step aside, the plank would tilt and the condemned man go down between two ties.
(3) The arrangement commended itself to his judgement as simple and effective. His face had not been covered nor his eyes bandaged. He looked a moment at his "unsteadfast footing," then let his gaze wander to the swirling water of the stream racing madly beneath his feet. A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current. How slowly it appeared to move! What a sluggish stream!
(4) He closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children.
"If I could free my hands," he thought, "I might throw off the noose and spring into the stream. By diving I could evade the bullets and, swimming vigorously, reach the bank, take to the woods and get away home. My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader's farthest advance."
Question 1
Which BEST analyzes the effect of the author's structural choices?
Responses
A The author builds suspense by first providing physical descriptions and details and then humanizes the character by revealing his thoughts.The author builds suspense by first providing physical descriptions and details and then humanizes the character by revealing his thoughts.
B The author provides excessive details of the crimes of the character in order to prepare readers for the intense plot events leading to the hanging.The author provides excessive details of the crimes of the character in order to prepare readers for the intense plot events leading to the hanging.
C The author creates tension by highlighting the obvious innocence of the character through multiple examples of the character's integrity and generosity.The author creates tension by highlighting the obvious innocence of the character through multiple examples of the character's integrity and generosity.
D The author establishes a mood of tragedy through the use of foreshadowing scenes with the character's loved ones and through a flashback that reveals previous vile actions of the soldiers.The author establishes a mood of tragedy through the use of foreshadowing scenes with the character's loved ones and through a flashback that reveals previous vile actions of the soldiers.
Question 2
Select two details from the passage that BEST support the correct answer choice above.
Responses
A His features were good--a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock coat.His features were good--a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock coat.
B My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader's farthest advance.My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader's farthest advance.
C The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded.The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded.
D This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant.This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant.
E A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current.A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current.
1 answer
1 answer