he Great John Henry

Question

A. Gautam

John Henry was a strong man. Born a slave, he was freed after the war. He worked as a steelworker for the railroads. He was the strongest man who worked the rails. Every single blow of his steel spike on the rock was powerful. There was nobody who could match his strength.

Then came an obstacle—it was the Big Bend Mountain itself. The men in the railroad planned to drill a hole through the mountain. Thousands worked on the mission. After three years, the task was done. John Henry and his 14-pound hammer went through 10 to 12 feet in one day.

Then came a salesman with a steam-powered drill. He said it could beat any drill man. There was to be a contest between the machine and John Henry. The foreman ran the fancy drill. John Henry drilled with two 20-pound hammers, one in each hand. As the men howled and cheered, John Henry drilled two seven-foot holes. The foreman with the steam drill only drilled a nine-foot hole. John Henry had won.



Question
Which detail from the story does the first picture show?
Responses
A “The foreman ran the fancy drill.”“The foreman ran the fancy drill.”
B “John Henry and his 14-pound hammer …”“John Henry and his 14-pound hammer …”
C “… a contest between the machine and John Henry”
“… a contest between the machine and John Henry”
D “John Henry had won.”“John Henry had won.”

Answer 1

To determine which detail from the story is shown in the first picture, we would need to see the picture. However, based on the options provided and the context of the story:

• Option A describes the foreman and the steam drill.
• Option B describes John Henry and his hammer.
• Option C refers to the contest between John Henry and the machine.
• Option D indicates that John Henry won the contest.

If the picture depicts John Henry drilling with his hammer, then option B would be correct. If it shows the foreman with the steam drill, option A would be appropriate. If it illustrates the competition itself, option C would be the right choice. If it reveals the outcome of John Henry winning, then option D would be the answer.

Without seeing the picture, I can't definitively choose one. However, based on the context, if you see John Henry using his hammer or a direct representation of the competition, those options would be more fitting.