What does the passage suggest about Ilse's reason for walking the pier?
Every morning, Ilse walked the length of the pier before the fishermen arrived. She told herself it was for the air, but the truth was simpler: the pier was the only place where the silence did not feel like absence. Today, however, a stranger sat at the far end, his legs dangling over the water. Ilse slowed, then stopped, unsure whether to turn back.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. She values the silence more than she admits.
- 'She walks there only for exercise.' contradicts the text, which reveals her physical justification ('for the air') was merely an excuse.
- 'She is avoiding the stranger.' misinterprets her timing; she walks early for solitude before encountering others, not out of active evasion.
- 'She hopes to meet the fishermen.' conflicts with her explicit desire for solitude and undisturbed morning stillness.
- 'She is avoiding the stranger.' misinterprets her timing; she walks early for solitude before encountering others, not out of active evasion.
- 'She hopes to meet the fishermen.' conflicts with her explicit desire for solitude and undisturbed morning stillness.
- Step 1: Examine the passage's explanation: 'She told herself it was for the air, but the truth was simpler.'
- Step 2: The narrative establishes that her true motive was the deep, uninterrupted calm of the morning.
- Step 3: This indicates that she values the silence more than she admits openly.
Answer
She values the silence more than she admits.
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