by John Murry
TIME: Evening, December 2, 1777.
SETTING: Main room in Rebecca Lister's home in Philadelphia. Stone fireplace is down left. Window is up center; storage chest with cover stands under it. Table with lamps, chairs, and other pieces of plain furniture complete the furnishings. Exit up left leads to kitchen. Exit to street is right.
AT RISE: REBECCA LISTER enters left. She rushes to window, looks out, then opens storage chest and removes sewing basket and man's overcoat. She carries these to table center and sits. She removes slip of paper from apron pocket, takes cloth-covered button from basket, removes cloth, places paper in button framework, recovers button with material, and sews. ELLA, carrying bundle of clothing, enters left, walks to table, deposits clothing.
REBECCA (Startled): Goodness, Ella, you frightened me.
ELLA: Sorry, Mistress Rebecca.
(Pointing) Do you want to send all these clothes to your family?
REBECCA: Yes, it is dreadfully cold in the camp where they are stationed.
ELLA (Angrily): 'Tis a disgrace, the way families have been separated in this war. (Warmly) I remember how I would entertain the children when I put on the master's jacket. (Displays brightly colored jacket)
Are you sending another message to General Washington?
REBECCA (Nodding): A most important message for Charles to deliver to Whitemarsh. Widow Nash told me that the British will attack there on the sixth of December-and that's only four days away.
Use the passage to answer the question.
What is the most likely reason that Rebecca begs to be allowed to stay during General Howe's meeting?
(1 point)
• She wants to help the British by making them comfortable.
• She wants to demonstrate her loyalty to the British.
• She wants to influence General Howe not to attack.
• She wants to learn more of the British army's plans.
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The most likely reason that Rebecca begs to be allowed to stay during General Howe's meeting is:
• She wants to learn more of the British army's plans.
This conclusion is supported by the context in which Rebecca is sending messages and expressing concern about impending attacks, indicating that she is eager to gather information that could aid her family's situation or the American cause in general.
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