From “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier

Question

19 But our real fun and our real fear lay in Miss Lottie herself. Miss Lottie seemed to be at least a hundred years old. Her big frame still held traces of the tall, powerful woman she must have been in youth, although it was now bent and drawn. Her smooth skin was a dark reddish brown, and her face had Indian-like features and the stern stoicism that one associates with Indian faces. Miss Lottie didn’t like intruders either, especially children. She never left her yard, and nobody ever visited her. We never knew how she managed those necessities which depend on human interaction—how she ate, for example, or even whether she ate. When we were tiny children, we thought Miss Lottie was a witch and we made up tales that we half believed ourselves about her exploits. We were far too sophisticated now, of course, to believe the witch nonsense. But old fears have a way of clinging like cobwebs, and so when we sighted the tumbledown shack, we had to stop to reinforce our nerves.
Which piece of textual evidence supports the idea that the children are afraid of Miss Lottie?
Answer choices for the above question

A. “Miss Lottie seemed to be at least a hundred years old.”

B. “She never left her yard, and nobody ever visited her.”

C. “We never knew how she managed those necessities which depend on human interaction—how she ate, for example, or even whether she ate.”

D. “But old fears have a way of clinging like cobwebs, and so when we sighted the tumbledown shack, we had to stop to reinforce our nerves.”
Which piece of original commentary explains why the children are afraid of Miss Lottie?
Answer choices for the above question

A. Miss Lottie’s isolated existence and intimidating presence make the children fear her.

B. Miss Lottie is a witch.

C. Miss Lottie is known for punishing children.

D. Miss Lottie cares more about her garden that she does about her son.

Answer 1

For the first question about which piece of textual evidence supports the idea that the children are afraid of Miss Lottie, the correct answer is:

D. “But old fears have a way of clinging like cobwebs, and so when we sighted the tumbledown shack, we had to stop to reinforce our nerves.”

This statement indicates that the children still hold on to their fears of Miss Lottie despite their supposed sophistication.

For the second question regarding which piece of original commentary explains why the children are afraid of Miss Lottie, the correct answer is:

A. Miss Lottie’s isolated existence and intimidating presence make the children fear her.

This explanation encompasses both her reclusive nature and the strong, imposing presence she has, which causes fear in the children.