Use the story “The Open Window” to answer this question.

Question

“My aunt will be down presently, Mr. Nuttel,” said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen; “in the meantime you must try and put up with me.”

Framton Nuttel endeavoured to say the correct something which should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting the aunt that was to come. Privately he doubted more than ever whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be undergoing.

“I know how it will be,” his sister had said when he was preparing to migrate to this rural retreat; “you will bury yourself down there and not speak to a living soul, and your nerves will be worse than ever from moping. I shall just give you letters of introduction to all the people I know there. Some of them, as far as I can remember, were quite nice.”

Framton wondered whether Mrs. Sappleton, the lady to whom he was presenting one of the letters of introduction, came into the nice division.
How does the setting influence Mr. Nuttel’s expectations about the interaction he is about to have?

1) He is reminded of a conversation with his sister and expects to meet someone like her.
2) He expects the country people to be unsophisticated and foolish.
3) He does not expect the visit among strangers to have much value.
4) He expects the surroundings to be isolating and depressing.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

3. He does not expect the visit among strangers to have much value.

Framton Nuttel's thoughts reflect his doubts about the efficacy of visiting strangers as a means to help his nerves. He is skeptical about whether these interactions will provide the social engagement he needs, especially since he is already unsure of the benefit of such formal visits in a rural setting. This expectation is influenced by his sister's remarks about him potentially moping and being isolated, which contributes to his overall belief that the visit won't be valuable.

Answer 2

are you sure its not He expects the surroundings to be isolating and depressing.

Answer 3

While it's true that Framton Nuttel does have a sense of isolation and unease about visiting total strangers, the key focus of his thoughts is more on the expectation of the visit itself and its potential lack of value rather than solely on the surroundings being isolating or depressing.

He expresses concern about his ability to connect socially and doubts the effectiveness of the visits for his nerve cure, which aligns more closely with statement 3. However, statement 4, "He expects the surroundings to be isolating and depressing," also highlights his feelings about the environment.

That said, if you see a stronger connection to the idea of isolation and depression in how he views both the setting and its impact on his mental state, then your perspective is valid as well.

In summary, while both options are plausible, statement 3 more directly captures his skepticism about the value of the interaction, while statement 4 addresses his feelings about the setting. If you must choose one, option 3 is the best fit based on his expressed thoughts and concerns.