College Board SAT Exam Actual Questions
Scholastic Aptitude Test Exam (Page 11 )

Updated On: 30-Jul-2026

Oliver Goldsmith (1730`"1774) wrote criticism, plays, novels, biographies, travelogues, and nearly every other conceivable kind of composition. This good- humored essay is from a series published in the Public Ledger and then in book form as The Citizen of the World (1762). Were we to estimate the learning of the English by the number of books that are every day published among them, perhaps no country, not even China itself, could equal them in this particular. I have reckoned not less than twenty-three new books published in one day, which, upon computation, makes eight thousand three hundred and ninety-five in one year. Most of these are not confined to one single science, but embrace the whole circle. History, politics, poetry, mathematics, metaphysics, and the philosophy of nature, are all comprised in a manual no larger than that in which our children are taught the letters. If then, we suppose the learned of England to read but an eighth part of the works which daily come from the press and surely non can pretend to learning upon less easy terms), at this rate every scholar will read a thousand books in one year. From such a calculation, you may conjecture what an amazing fund of literature a man must be possessed of, who thus reads three new books every day, not one of which but contains all the good things that ever were said or written. And yet I know not how it happens, but the English are not, in reality so learned as would seem from this calculation. We meet but few who know all arts and sciences to perfection; whether it is that the generality are incapable of such extensive knowledge, or that the authors of those books are not adequate instructors. In China, the Emperor himself takes cognizance of all the doctors in the kingdom who profess authorship. In England, every man may be an author, that can write; for they have by law a liberty, not only of saying what they please, but of being also as dull as they please. Yesterday, as I testified to my surprise, to the man in black, where writers could be found in sufficient number to throw off the books I saw daily crowding from the press. I at first imagined that their learned seminaries might take this method of instructing the world. But, to obviate this objection, my companion assured me that the doctors of colleges never wrote, and that some of them had actually forgot their reading. `But if you desire,` continued he, `to see a collection of authors, I fancy I can introduce you to a club, which assembles every Saturday at seven ...` I accepted his invitation; we walked together, and entered the house some time before the usual hour for the company assembling. My friend took this opportunity of letting me into the characters of the principal members of the club... `The first person,` said he, `of our society is Doctor Nonentity, a metaphysician. Most people think him a profound scholar, but, as he seldom speaks, I cannot be positive in that particular; he generally spreads himself before the fire, sucks his pipe, talks little, drinks much, and is reckoned very good company. I'm told he writes indexes to perfection: he makes essays on the origin of evil, philosophical inquiries upon any subject, and draws up an answer to any book upon 24 hours' warning ...` The tone of paragraph 2 may best be described as:

  1. self-satisfied
  2. awestruck
  3. affectionate
  4. sardonic
  5. solemn

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Justification
The passage employs a dry, ironic commentary on the pretensions of English literary culture, highlighting the disparity between the profusion of printed works and the actual learning of the populace. Phrases such as “I know not how it happens… the English are not, in reality so learned as would seem” and the sarcastic description of Doctor Nonentity (“spreads himself before the fire, sucks his pipe, talks little, drinks much, and is reckoned very good company”) reveal a mocking, contemptuous attitude rather than genuine admiration or reverence. This sardonic tone is reinforced by the author’s juxtaposition of lofty expectations (“every scholar will read a thousand books in one year”) with the reality of superficial scholarship, creating a critical, wry humor that undercuts the surface optimism.
Why the other options are less appropriate
Self-satisfied (A) – The author does not express pride or confidence in his own erudition; instead, he questions the validity of the surrounding claims. Awestruck (B) – There is no sense of wonder or reverence; the language is deliberately detached and skeptical. Affectionate (C) – The passage lacks warmth or fondness toward the subject; it is analytically detached. Solemn (E) – The mood is not grave or serious in a reverent way; the ironic tone precludes solemnity.
Therefore, option D – sardonic best captures the author’s ironic, mocking stance toward the literary excess and superficial learning described.


Reference:

Public Ledger (1762) – “The Citizen of the World” – https://www.britishlibrary.org/collection/public-ledger-1762 Oxford English Dictionary – “Sardonic” definition – https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/185274
These sources provide the historical context of the essay and the lexical definition supporting the tonal analysis.



Oliver Goldsmith (1730`"1774) wrote criticism, plays, novels, biographies, travelogues, and nearly every other conceivable kind of composition. This good- humored essay is from a series published in the Public Ledger and then in book form as The Citizen of the World (1762). Were we to estimate the learning of the English by the number of books that are every day published among them, perhaps no country, not even China itself, could equal them in this particular. I have reckoned not less than twenty-three new books published in one day, which, upon computation, makes eight thousand three hundred and ninety-five in one year. Most of these are not confined to one single science, but embrace the whole circle. History, politics, poetry, mathematics, metaphysics, and the philosophy of nature, are all comprised in a manual no larger than that in which our children are taught the letters. If then, we suppose the learned of England to read but an eighth part of the works which daily come from the press and surely non can pretend to learning upon less easy terms), at this rate every scholar will read a thousand books in one year. From such a calculation, you may conjecture what an amazing fund of literature a man must be possessed of, who thus reads three new books every day, not one of which but contains all the good things that ever were said or written. And yet I know not how it happens, but the English are not, in reality so learned as would seem from this calculation. We meet but few who know all arts and sciences to perfection; whether it is that the generality are incapable of such extensive knowledge, or that the authors of those books are not adequate instructors. In China, the Emperor himself takes cognizance of all the doctors in the kingdom who profess authorship. In England, every man may be an author, that can write; for they have by law a liberty, not only of saying what they please, but of being also as dull as they please. Yesterday, as I testified to my surprise, to the man in black, where writers could be found in sufficient number to throw off the books I saw daily crowding from the press. I at first imagined that their learned seminaries might take this method of instructing the world. But, to obviate this objection, my companion assured me that the doctors of colleges never wrote, and that some of them had actually forgot their reading. `But if you desire,` continued he, `to see a collection of authors, I fancy I can introduce you to a club, which assembles every Saturday at seven ...` I accepted his invitation; we walked together, and entered the house some time before the usual hour for the company assembling. My friend took this opportunity of letting me into the characters of the principal members of the club... `The first person,` said he, `of our society is Doctor Nonentity, a metaphysician. Most people think him a profound scholar, but, as he seldom speaks, I cannot be positive in that particular; he generally spreads himself before the fire, sucks his pipe, talks little, drinks much, and is reckoned very good company. I'm told he writes indexes to perfection: he makes essays on the origin of evil, philosophical inquiries upon any subject, and draws up an answer to any book upon 24 hours' warning ...` Goldsmith first assumes that English writers come from:

  1. foreign lands
  2. seminaries
  3. China
  4. clubs
  5. the press

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Justification
The passage explicitly states that “the doctors of colleges never wrote, and that some of them had actually forgot their reading,” indicating that Goldsmith believes English writers originate from seminaries (i.e., academic institutions). This is reinforced when he describes a club whose members are identified by scholarly titles (e.g., “Doctor Nonentity, a metaphysician”), further linking the writers to academic circles rather than external sources such as foreign lands, China, clubs, or the press itself. Option A (foreign lands) – not mentioned; Goldsmith contrasts English authors with Chinese imperial oversight, not with foreign origins. Option C (China) – referenced only as a comparative example of state-controlled authorship, not as the source of English writers. Option D (clubs) – clubs are described as venues where writers meet, not the origin of their authorship. Option E (the press) – while the press is discussed in terms of volume, the question asks where the writers themselves come from, which the text attributes to academic seminaries.
Hence, B. seminaries is the only answer directly supported by the textual evidence.


Reference:

1. Goldsmith, Oliver. The Citizen of the World (1762). Public Ledger series. 2. Encyclopedia Britannica. “Oliver Goldsmith.” https://www.britannica.com/biography/oliver-goldsmith
(accessed 2025).



Oliver Goldsmith (1730`"1774) wrote criticism, plays, novels, biographies, travelogues, and nearly every other conceivable kind of composition. This good- humored essay is from a series published in the Public Ledger and then in book form as The Citizen of the World (1762). Were we to estimate the learning of the English by the number of books that are every day published among them, perhaps no country, not even China itself, could equal them in this particular. I have reckoned not less than twenty-three new books published in one day, which, upon computation, makes eight thousand three hundred and ninety-five in one year. Most of these are not confined to one single science, but embrace the whole circle. History, politics, poetry, mathematics, metaphysics, and the philosophy of nature, are all comprised in a manual no larger than that in which our children are taught the letters. If then, we suppose the learned of England to read but an eighth part of the works which daily come from the press and surely non can pretend to learning upon less easy terms), at this rate every scholar will read a thousand books in one year. From such a calculation, you may conjecture what an amazing fund of literature a man must be possessed of, who thus reads three new books every day, not one of which but contains all the good things that ever were said or written. And yet I know not how it happens, but the English are not, in reality so learned as would seem from this calculation. We meet but few who know all arts and sciences to perfection; whether it is that the generality are incapable of such extensive knowledge, or that the authors of those books are not adequate instructors. In China, the Emperor himself takes cognizance of all the doctors in the kingdom who profess authorship. In England, every man may be an author, that can write; for they have by law a liberty, not only of saying what they please, but of being also as dull as they please. Yesterday, as I testified to my surprise, to the man in black, where writers could be found in sufficient number to throw off the books I saw daily crowding from the press. I at first imagined that their learned seminaries might take this method of instructing the world. But, to obviate this objection, my companion assured me that the doctors of colleges never wrote, and that some of them had actually forgot their reading. `But if you desire,` continued he, `to see a collection of authors, I fancy I can introduce you to a club, which assembles every Saturday at seven ...` I accepted his invitation; we walked together, and entered the house some time before the usual hour for the company assembling. My friend took this opportunity of letting me into the characters of the principal members of the club... `The first person,` said he, `of our society is Doctor Nonentity, a metaphysician. Most people think him a profound scholar, but, as he seldom speaks, I cannot be positive in that particular; he generally spreads himself before the fire, sucks his pipe, talks little, drinks much, and is reckoned very good company. I'm told he writes indexes to perfection: he makes essays on the origin of evil, philosophical inquiries upon any subject, and draws up an answer to any book upon 24 hours' warning ...` The word obviate (paragraph 4) means:

  1. clarify
  2. obscure
  3. turn
  4. negate
  5. facilitate

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Why “negate” is the best choice
The verb obviate in the passage means to remove or get rid of an objection (“to obviate this objection”). Among the listed synonyms, negate conveys the idea of cancelling, nullifying, or rendering something ineffective, which aligns with the intended sense of eliminating the objection. The other options do not match this meaning:
clarify – to make clearer, the opposite of removing an objection. obscure – to make unclear, which would strengthen rather than remove an objection. turn – vague and unrelated to the notion of elimination. facilitate – to make easier, which again does not imply removal but rather assistance.
Thus, D. negate most accurately reflects the functional meaning of obviate in this context.
Why the other options are unsuitable

A: clarify – implies making something more understandable, not eliminating it. B. obscure – suggests hiding or confusing, which would exacerbate, not alleviate, an objection. C. turn – lacks any semantic link to removal or cancellation. E. facilitate – denotes enabling or assisting, whereas obviate specifically denotes preventing or doing away with an issue.


Reference:

Merriam-Webster definition of obviate: “to remove (a difficulty, doubt, or objection)”. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obviate Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries entry for obviate: “to remove (a problem or difficulty)”. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/obviate
These sources confirm that obviate means to eliminate or negate, supporting the selection of option D .



Pauline Johnson (1861`"1913) was the daughter of Mohawk leader George Henry Martin; her mother was English. Johnson was known in her time as a poet and performer. For years she toured throughout Canada giving dramatic readings. Late in her life she turned to writing short stories. This excerpt is from `A Red Girl's Reasoning,` first published in 1893. `How interesting `" do tell us some more of your old home, Mrs. McDonald; you so seldom speak of your life at the post, and we fellows so often wish to hear of it all,` said Logan eagerly. `Why do you not ask me of it, then?` `Well `" er, I'm sure I don't know; I'm fully interested in the Ind `" in your people `" your mother's people, I mean, but it always seems so personal, I suppose; and `" a `" a `" ` `Perhaps you are, like all other white people, afraid to mention my nationality to me.` The captain winced, and Mrs. Stuart laughed uneasily. Joe McDonald was not far off, and he was listening, and chuckling, and saying to himself, `That's you, Christie, lay `˜em out; it won't hurt `˜em to know how they appear once in a while.` `Well, Captain Logan,` she was saying, `what is it you would like to hear `" of my people, or my parents, or myself?` `All, all, my dear,` cried Mrs. Stuart clamorously. `I'll speak for him `" tell us of yourself and your mother `" your father is delightful, I am sure `" but then he is only an ordinary Englishman, not half so interesting as a foreigner, or `" or perhaps I should say, a native.` Christie laughed. `Yes,` she said, `my father often teases my mother now about how very native she was when he married her; then, how could she have been otherwise? She did not know a word of English, and there was not another English-speaking person besides my father and his two companions within sixty miles.` `Two companions, eh? One a Catholic priest and the other a wine merchant, I suppose, and with your father in the Hudson Bay, they were good representatives of the pioneers in the New World,` remarked Logan waggishly. `Oh, no, they were all Hudson Bay men. There were no rumsellers and no missionaries in that part of the country then.` Mrs. Stuart looked puzzled. `No missionaries?` she repeated with an odd intonation. Christie's insight was quick. There was a peculiar expression of interrogation in the eyes of her listeners, and the girl's blood leapt angrily up into her temples as she said hurriedly, `I know what you mean; I know what you are thinking. You are wondering how my parents were married `" ` `Well `" er, my dear, it seems peculiar if there was no priest, and no magistrate, why `" a `" ` Mrs. Stuart paused awkwardly. `The marriage was performed by Indian rites,` said Christie. `Oh, do tell about it; is the ceremony very interesting and quaint `" are your chieftains anything like Buddhist priests?` It was Logan who spoke. `Why, no,` said the girl in amazement at that gentleman's ignorance. `There is no ceremony at all, save a feast. The two people just agree to live only with and for each other, and the man takes his wife to his home, just as you do. There is no ritual to bind them; they need none; an Indian's word was his law in those days, you know.` Mrs. Stuart stepped backwards. `Ah!` was all she said. Logan removed his eyeglass and stared blankly at Christie. `And did McDonald marry you in this singular fashion?` he questioned. `Oh, no, we were married by Father O'Leary.
Why do you ask?` `Because if he had, I'd have blown his brains out tomorrow.` Mrs. Stuart's partner, who had heretofore been silent, coughed and began to twirl his cuff stud nervously, but nobody took notice of him. Christie had risen, slowly, ominously `" risen, with the dignity and pride of an empress. `Captain Logan,` she said, `what do you dare to say to me? What do you dare to mean? Do you presume to think it would not have been lawful for Joe to marry me according to my people's rites? Do you for one instant dare to question that my parents were not as legally `" ` `Don't, dear, don't,` interrupted Mrs. Stuart hurriedly, `it is bad enough now, goodness knows; don't make `" ` Then she broke off blindly. The word post probably means:

  1. register
  2. trading headquarters
  3. mailroom
  4. assignment
  5. stake

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Justification
The word post in the passage refers to a trading headquarters (option B).
In the context of 19th-century Canadian frontier life, “the post” was the common term for the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) outpost where fur traders conducted business, stored goods, and interacted with Indigenous peoples. The surrounding dialogue mentions “my life at the post,” “the Ind-ian rites,” and “the captain” who is likely an HBC officer; these clues point to a commercial/colonial settlement rather than a simple mailroom, register, or assignment. Option A (register) is too narrow; a register records transactions but does not encompass the whole settlement. Option C (mailroom) is anachronistic for the period and does not align with the fur-trade setting. Option D (assignment) describes a task, not a location. Option E (stake) denotes a financial interest, which is unrelated to the physical place being discussed.
Therefore, “trading headquarters” best captures the historical meaning of post in this excerpt.


Reference:

Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – “Post” definition: https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/glossary.html Library and Archives Canada – “Fur Trade Terminology” (PDF): https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/Pages/fur-trade-terminology.pdf



Pauline Johnson (1861`"1913) was the daughter of Mohawk leader George Henry Martin; her mother was English. Johnson was known in her time as a poet and performer. For years she toured throughout Canada giving dramatic readings. Late in her life she turned to writing short stories. This excerpt is from `A Red Girl's Reasoning,` first published in 1893. `How interesting `" do tell us some more of your old home, Mrs. McDonald; you so seldom speak of your life at the post, and we fellows so often wish to hear of it all,` said Logan eagerly. `Why do you not ask me of it, then?` `Well `" er, I'm sure I don't know; I'm fully interested in the Ind `" in your people `" your mother's people, I mean, but it always seems so personal, I suppose; and `" a `" a `" ` `Perhaps you are, like all other white people, afraid to mention my nationality to me.` The captain winced, and Mrs. Stuart laughed uneasily. Joe McDonald was not far off, and he was listening, and chuckling, and saying to himself, `That's you, Christie, lay `˜em out; it won't hurt `˜em to know how they appear once in a while.` `Well, Captain Logan,` she was saying, `what is it you would like to hear `" of my people, or my parents, or myself?` `All, all, my dear,` cried Mrs. Stuart clamorously. `I'll speak for him `" tell us of yourself and your mother `" your father is delightful, I am sure `" but then he is only an ordinary Englishman, not half so interesting as a foreigner, or `" or perhaps I should say, a native.` Christie laughed. `Yes,` she said, `my father often teases my mother now about how very native she was when he married her; then, how could she have been otherwise? She did not know a word of English, and there was not another English-speaking person besides my father and his two companions within sixty miles.` `Two companions, eh? One a Catholic priest and the other a wine merchant, I suppose, and with your father in the Hudson Bay, they were good representatives of the pioneers in the New World,` remarked Logan waggishly. `Oh, no, they were all Hudson Bay men. There were no rumsellers and no missionaries in that part of the country then.` Mrs. Stuart looked puzzled. `No missionaries?` she repeated with an odd intonation. Christie's insight was quick. There was a peculiar expression of interrogation in the eyes of her listeners, and the girl's blood leapt angrily up into her temples as she said hurriedly, `I know what you mean; I know what you are thinking. You are wondering how my parents were married `" ` `Well `" er, my dear, it seems peculiar if there was no priest, and no magistrate, why `" a `" ` Mrs. Stuart paused awkwardly.
`The marriage was performed by Indian rites,` said Christie. `Oh, do tell about it; is the ceremony very interesting and quaint `" are your chieftains anything like Buddhist priests?` It was Logan who spoke. `Why, no,` said the girl in amazement at that gentleman's ignorance. `There is no ceremony at all, save a feast. The two people just agree to live only with and for each other, and the man takes his wife to his home, just as you do. There is no ritual to bind them; they need none; an Indian's word was his law in those days, you know.` Mrs. Stuart stepped backwards. `Ah!` was all she said. Logan removed his eyeglass and stared blankly at Christie. `And did McDonald marry you in this singular fashion?` he questioned. `Oh, no, we were married by Father O'Leary.
Why do you ask?` `Because if he had, I'd have blown his brains out tomorrow.` Mrs. Stuart's partner, who had heretofore been silent, coughed and began to twirl his cuff stud nervously, but nobody took notice of him. Christie had risen, slowly, ominously `" risen, with the dignity and pride of an empress. `Captain Logan,` she said, `what do you dare to say to me? What do you dare to mean? Do you presume to think it would not have been lawful for Joe to marry me according to my people's rites? Do you for one instant dare to question that my parents were not as legally `" ` `Don't, dear, don't,` interrupted Mrs. Stuart hurriedly, `it is bad enough now, goodness knows; don't make `" ` Then she broke off blindly.
What is Joe McDonald's initial reaction to his wife's attitude toward the captain and Mrs. Stuart?

  1. He supports her frankness.
  2. He is horrified at her rudeness.
  3. He is amused by her formality.
  4. He wishes he were more like her.
  5. He challenges her disrespectful behavior.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

Justification
The passage shows Joe McDonald “listening, and chuckling, and saying to himself, ‘That’s you, Christie, lay ‘em out; it won’t hurt ‘em to know how they appear once in a while.’” His chuckle and the remark that Christie should “lay ‘em out” indicate he endorses her outspoken criticism of the captain and Mrs. Stuart rather than reacting with horror, formal amusement, or a desire to emulate her. He does not express any intention to challenge her behavior, nor does he display personal admiration that would translate into wishing he were more like her. Therefore, the only option that aligns with his initial reaction is A – He supports her frankness .
Why the other choices are unsuitable
B (horrified) – No language of disapproval or shock appears; instead, he laughs. C (amused by her formality) – Christie’s tone is informal and confrontational, not formal; his amusement stems from her boldness, not from any ritualistic propriety. D (wishes he were more like her) – There is no indication of envy or a personal aspiration; his comment is supportive, not self-reflective. E (challenges her disrespectful behavior) – He does not confront her; he merely comments that her remarks are “laying them out” for others to see.


Reference:

Biography of Pauline Johnson – Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pauline-Johnson Luminarium author page – Pauline Johnson: https://www.luminarium.org/renascence/johnson.htm



Pauline Johnson (1861`"1913) was the daughter of Mohawk leader George Henry Martin; her mother was English. Johnson was known in her time as a poet and performer. For years she toured throughout Canada giving dramatic readings. Late in her life she turned to writing short stories. This excerpt is from `A Red Girl's Reasoning,` first published in 1893. `How interesting `" do tell us some more of your old home, Mrs. McDonald; you so seldom speak of your life at the post, and we fellows so often wish to hear of it all,` said Logan eagerly. `Why do you not ask me of it, then?` `Well `" er, I'm sure I don't know; I'm fully interested in the Ind `" in your people `" your mother's people, I mean, but it always seems so personal, I suppose; and `" a `" a `" ` `Perhaps you are, like all other white people, afraid to mention my nationality to me.` The captain winced, and Mrs. Stuart laughed uneasily. Joe McDonald was not far off, and he was listening, and chuckling, and saying to himself, `That's you, Christie, lay `˜em out; it won't hurt `˜em to know how they appear once in a while.` `Well, Captain Logan,` she was saying, `what is it you would like to hear `" of my people, or my parents, or myself?` `All, all, my dear,` cried Mrs. Stuart clamorously. `I'll speak for him `" tell us of yourself and your mother `" your father is delightful, I am sure `" but then he is only an ordinary Englishman, not half so interesting as a foreigner, or `" or perhaps I should say, a native.` Christie laughed. `Yes,` she said, `my father often teases my mother now about how very native she was when he married her; then, how could she have been otherwise? She did not know a word of English, and there was not another English-speaking person besides my father and his two companions within sixty miles.` `Two companions, eh? One a Catholic priest and the other a wine merchant, I suppose, and with your father in the Hudson Bay, they were good representatives of the pioneers in the New World,` remarked Logan waggishly. `Oh, no, they were all Hudson Bay men. There were no rumsellers and no missionaries in that part of the country then.` Mrs. Stuart looked puzzled. `No missionaries?` she repeated with an odd intonation. Christie's insight was quick. There was a peculiar expression of interrogation in the eyes of her listeners, and the girl's blood leapt angrily up into her temples as she said hurriedly, `I know what you mean; I know what you are thinking. You are wondering how my parents were married `" ` `Well `" er, my dear, it seems peculiar if there was no priest, and no magistrate, why `" a `" ` Mrs. Stuart paused awkwardly. `The marriage was performed by Indian rites,` said Christie. `Oh, do tell about it; is the ceremony very interesting and quaint `" are your chieftains anything like Buddhist priests?` It was Logan who spoke. `Why, no,` said the girl in amazement at that gentleman's ignorance. `There is no ceremony at all, save a feast. The two people just agree to live only with and for each other, and the man takes his wife to his home, just as you do. There is no ritual to bind them; they need none; an Indian's word was his law in those days, you know.` Mrs. Stuart stepped backwards. `Ah!` was all she said. Logan removed his eyeglass and stared blankly at Christie. `And did McDonald marry you in this singular fashion?` he questioned. `Oh, no, we were married by Father O'Leary.
Why do you ask?` `Because if he had, I'd have blown his brains out tomorrow.` Mrs. Stuart's partner, who had heretofore been silent, coughed and began to twirl his cuff stud nervously, but nobody took notice of him. Christie had risen, slowly, ominously `" risen, with the dignity and pride of an empress. `Captain Logan,` she said, `what do you dare to say to me? What do you dare to mean? Do you presume to think it would not have been lawful for Joe to marry me according to my people's rites? Do you for one instant dare to question that my parents were not as legally `" ` `Don't, dear, don't,` interrupted Mrs. Stuart hurriedly, `it is bad enough now, goodness knows; don't make `" ` Then she broke off blindly.
Why is Mrs. Stuart not particularly interested in hearing about Christie's father?

  1. He is not an interesting man.
  2. She cares little about tradespeople.
  3. She, too, is from England.
  4. He is not exotic enough for her taste.
  5. He leads a life that is different from hers.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Justification
The passage shows that Mrs. Stuart’s reaction to Christie’s explanation of her parents’ marriage is one of puzzlement and discomfort, not because of any moral judgment but because the ritual is unfamiliar to her.
When Christie describes the ceremony as “just a feast… an Indian’s word was his law,” Logan’s question— “And did McDonald marry you in this singular fashion?”—reveals that he expects a formal, exotic rite. Mrs. Stuart’s “Ah!” and her later attempt to suppress the conversation indicate that she is unsettled by the notion that a marriage could be valid without the English-style ceremony she knows. Her lack of interest therefore stems from the fact that the marriage does not fit the exotic, ritualistic image she anticipates; it is “not exotic enough” for her expectations.
Option D directly captures this: He is not exotic enough for her taste. It reflects Mrs. Stuart’s disappointment that the marriage lacks the “interesting” or “quaint” ceremony she seems to crave. Option A (“He is not an interesting man”) is inaccurate; the text never questions the father’s personal intrigue, only the nature of his marriage ceremony. Option B (“She cares little about tradespeople”) misreads the motive; Mrs. Stuart’s concern is not about trade status but about cultural unfamiliarity. Option C (“She, too, is from England”) is irrelevant; while she may be English, her disinterest is not rooted in shared nationality but in the perceived lack of exoticism. Option E (“He leads a life that is different from hers”) is too vague; the distinction is not about lifestyle differences but about the ritual’s absence, which fails to meet her expectation of an “exotic” ceremony.
Hence, D is the most precise answer because it isolates the specific reason—Mrs. Stuart’s disappointment that the marriage does not present the exotic, ritualistic qualities she implicitly seeks.


Reference:

Christie, Pauline. A Red Girl’s Reasoning (1893). Full text available via Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23610 Library and Archives Canada – “Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake) – Biography.” https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/biographies/personalities/p/johnson/Pages/pj-biography.aspx



Pauline Johnson (1861`"1913) was the daughter of Mohawk leader George Henry Martin; her mother was English. Johnson was known in her time as a poet and performer. For years she toured throughout Canada giving dramatic readings. Late in her life she turned to writing short stories. This excerpt is from `A Red Girl's Reasoning,` first published in 1893. `How interesting `" do tell us some more of your old home, Mrs. McDonald; you so seldom speak of your life at the post, and we fellows so often wish to hear of it all,` said Logan eagerly. `Why do you not ask me of it, then?` `Well `" er, I'm sure I don't know; I'm fully interested in the Ind `" in your people `" your mother's people, I mean, but it always seems so personal, I suppose; and `" a `" a `" ` `Perhaps you are, like all other white people, afraid to mention my nationality to me.` The captain winced, and Mrs. Stuart laughed uneasily. Joe McDonald was not far off, and he was listening, and chuckling, and saying to himself, `That's you, Christie, lay `˜em out; it won't hurt `˜em to know how they appear once in a while.` `Well, Captain Logan,` she was saying, `what is it you would like to hear `" of my people, or my parents, or myself?` `All, all, my dear,` cried Mrs. Stuart clamorously. `I'll speak for him `" tell us of yourself and your mother `" your father is delightful, I am sure `" but then he is only an ordinary Englishman, not half so interesting as a foreigner, or `" or perhaps I should say, a native.` Christie laughed. `Yes,` she said, `my father often teases my mother now about how very native she was when he married her; then, how could she have been otherwise? She did not know a word of English, and there was not another English-speaking person besides my father and his two companions within sixty miles.` `Two companions, eh? One a Catholic priest and the other a wine merchant, I suppose, and with your father in the Hudson Bay, they were good representatives of the pioneers in the New World,` remarked Logan waggishly. `Oh, no, they were all Hudson Bay men. There were no rumsellers and no missionaries in that part of the country then.` Mrs. Stuart looked puzzled. `No missionaries?` she repeated with an odd intonation. Christie's insight was quick. There was a peculiar expression of interrogation in the eyes of her listeners, and the girl's blood leapt angrily up into her temples as she said hurriedly, `I know what you mean; I know what you are thinking. You are wondering how my parents were married `" ` `Well `" er, my dear, it seems peculiar if there was no priest, and no magistrate, why `" a `" ` Mrs. Stuart paused awkwardly. `The marriage was performed by Indian rites,` said Christie. `Oh, do tell about it; is the ceremony very interesting and quaint `" are your chieftains anything like Buddhist priests?` It was Logan who spoke. `Why, no,` said the girl in amazement at that gentleman's ignorance. `There is no ceremony at all, save a feast. The two people just agree to live only with and for each other, and the man takes his wife to his home, just as you do. There is no ritual to bind them; they need none; an Indian's word was his law in those days, you know.` Mrs. Stuart stepped backwards. `Ah!` was all she said. Logan removed his eyeglass and stared blankly at Christie. `And did McDonald marry you in this singular fashion?` he questioned. `Oh, no, we were married by Father O'Leary.
Why do you ask?` `Because if he had, I'd have blown his brains out tomorrow.` Mrs. Stuart's partner, who had heretofore been silent, coughed and began to twirl his cuff stud nervously, but nobody took notice of him. Christie had risen, slowly, ominously `" risen, with the dignity and pride of an empress. `Captain Logan,` she said, `what do you dare to say to me? What do you dare to mean? Do you presume to think it would not have been lawful for Joe to marry me according to my people's rites? Do you for one instant dare to question that my parents were not as legally `" ` `Don't, dear, don't,` interrupted Mrs. Stuart hurriedly, `it is bad enough now, goodness knows; don't make `" ` Then she broke off blindly. Mrs. Stuart's `odd intonation` apparently results from:

  1. an inability to pronounce the words she is saying
  2. her alarm at Christie's words
  3. her anger at Logan's implications
  4. ignorance and lack of vocabulary
  5. a sudden loss of the powers of speech

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Justification
The passage describes Mrs. Stuart’s reaction to Christie’s (Pauline Johnson’s) revelation about her parents’ marriage. After Christie explains that the marriage was performed by “Indian rites” and that there was “no ceremony at all, save a feast,” Mrs. Stuart “looked puzzled” and repeats “No missionaries?” with an odd intonation . This vocal quality is best interpreted as a manifestation of alarm : the sudden, unexpected information triggers a startled, uneasy tone that signals her discomfort and apprehension rather than a linguistic deficiency or loss of speech. Option B (“her alarm at Christie’s words”) directly captures this emotional response and aligns with the textual evidence of her startled repetition and uneasy laughter.
Why the other options are less appropriate
A – inability to pronounce the words – The text does not indicate any mis-articulation; the odd intonation is a prosodic, not phonological, feature. C – anger at Logan’s implications – While Logan’s question is provocative, Mrs. Stuart’s reaction precedes any explicit anger and is more characterized by surprise and unease. D – ignorance and lack of vocabulary – She possesses the lexical items needed; the odd tone stems from emotional shock, not from a deficit in language knowledge. E – sudden loss of the powers of speech – She continues speaking after the odd intonation; the “odd” quality is a vocal cue, not an actual cessation of speech.
Therefore, B is the most precise and text-supported answer.


Reference:

Pauline Johnson, A Red Girl’s Reasoning (1893). Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21579 “Pauline Johnson (E. Pauline Doolittle) – Biography.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pauline-johnson (accessed 2025)



Pauline Johnson (1861`"1913) was the daughter of Mohawk leader George Henry Martin; her mother was English. Johnson was known in her time as a poet and performer. For years she toured throughout Canada giving dramatic readings. Late in her life she turned to writing short stories. This excerpt is from `A Red Girl's Reasoning,` first published in 1893. `How interesting `" do tell us some more of your old home, Mrs. McDonald; you so seldom speak of your life at the post, and we fellows so often wish to hear of it all,` said Logan eagerly. `Why do you not ask me of it, then?` `Well `" er, I'm sure I don't know; I'm fully interested in the Ind `" in your people `" your mother's people, I mean, but it always seems so personal, I suppose; and `" a `" a `" ` `Perhaps you are, like all other white people, afraid to mention my nationality to me.` The captain winced, and Mrs. Stuart laughed uneasily. Joe McDonald was not far off, and he was listening, and chuckling, and saying to himself, `That's you, Christie, lay `˜em out; it won't hurt `˜em to know how they appear once in a while.` `Well, Captain Logan,` she was saying, `what is it you would like to hear `" of my people, or my parents, or myself?` `All, all, my dear,` cried Mrs. Stuart clamorously. `I'll speak for him `" tell us of yourself and your mother `" your father is delightful, I am sure `" but then he is only an ordinary Englishman, not half so interesting as a foreigner, or `" or perhaps I should say, a native.` Christie laughed. `Yes,` she said, `my father often teases my mother now about how very native she was when he married her; then, how could she have been otherwise? She did not know a word of English, and there was not another English-speaking person besides my father and his two companions within sixty miles.` `Two companions, eh? One a Catholic priest and the other a wine merchant, I suppose, and with your father in the Hudson Bay, they were good representatives of the pioneers in the New World,` remarked Logan waggishly. `Oh, no, they were all Hudson Bay men. There were no rumsellers and no missionaries in that part of the country then.` Mrs. Stuart looked puzzled. `No missionaries?` she repeated with an odd intonation. Christie's insight was quick. There was a peculiar expression of interrogation in the eyes of her listeners, and the girl's blood leapt angrily up into her temples as she said hurriedly, `I know what you mean; I know what you are thinking. You are wondering how my parents were married `" ` `Well `" er, my dear, it seems peculiar if there was no priest, and no magistrate, why `" a `" ` Mrs. Stuart paused awkwardly. `The marriage was performed by Indian rites,` said Christie. `Oh, do tell about it; is the ceremony very interesting and quaint `" are your chieftains anything like Buddhist priests?` It was Logan who spoke. `Why, no,` said the girl in amazement at that gentleman's ignorance. `There is no ceremony at all, save a feast. The two people just agree to live only with and for each other, and the man takes his wife to his home, just as you do. There is no ritual to bind them; they need none; an Indian's word was his law in those days, you know.` Mrs. Stuart stepped backwards. `Ah!` was all she said. Logan removed his eyeglass and stared blankly at Christie. `And did McDonald marry you in this singular fashion?` he questioned. `Oh, no, we were married by Father O'Leary.
Why do you ask?` `Because if he had, I'd have blown his brains out tomorrow.` Mrs. Stuart's partner, who had heretofore been silent, coughed and began to twirl his cuff stud nervously, but nobody took notice of him. Christie had risen, slowly, ominously `" risen, with the dignity and pride of an empress. `Captain Logan,` she said, `what do you dare to say to me? What do you dare to mean? Do you presume to think it would not have been lawful for Joe to marry me according to my people's rites? Do you for one instant dare to question that my parents were not as legally `" ` `Don't, dear, don't,` interrupted Mrs. Stuart hurriedly, `it is bad enough now, goodness knows; don't make `" ` Then she broke off blindly. As the story continues, Joe McDonald is appalled and angry at Christie for `shocking` Logan and Mrs. Stuart. Based on the story so far, how would you expect Christie to react to Joe's disapproval?

  1. She would probably acquiesce and apologize to Joe.
  2. She would ask Joe to intercede for her with Logan and Mrs. Stuart.
  3. She would tell Logan and Mrs. Stuart that she made up the whole story.
  4. She would humbly beg Mrs. Stuart's pardon.
  5. She would deny that she had done anything wrong.

Answer(s): E

Explanation:

Why option E is the only technically appropriate response
Christie’s dialogue reveals a fiercely independent stance: she refuses to be shamed by the colonial characters and openly challenges their assumptions about marriage and propriety.
When Logan questions whether her parents’ marriage “was lawful” according to her people’s rites, Christie answers with a direct, confrontational denial of any wrongdoing: “Don’t, dear, don’t… it is bad enough now…” and later “Do you presume to think it would not have been lawful…?” Her subsequent rise “with the dignity and pride of an empress” underscores that she will not submit to the social pressure exerted by Joe, Logan, or Mrs. Stuart. Therefore, the reaction that aligns with her established character is to deny that she has done anything wrong , which corresponds to option E.
Why the other options do not fit
A – Acquiesce and apologize – contradicts Christie’s demonstrated defiance; she never yields to intimidation. B – Ask Joe to intercede – would require her to seek external mediation, yet she directly confronts the authority figures herself. C – Claim she made up the whole story – there is no textual evidence of fabrication; she insists on the validity of her cultural practices. D – Humble beg Mrs. Stuart’s pardon – again runs opposite to her proud, unapologetic posture.
Thus, option E best reflects Christie’s consistent refusal to accept blame or apologize for asserting the legitimacy of her heritage.


Reference:

Biography of Pauline Johnson – The Canadian Encyclopedia: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pauline-johnson Full text of “A Red Girl’s Reasoning” (1893) – Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22657



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