Question

the best camping trip of his life tracy wilson 1 david couldn’t wait to get off work, for he had an exciting weekend planned. he and his seven - year - old son, landon, were going on a camping trip. as david drove toward the greenville suburb where landon lived with his mother, the guilt gnawed at him. he hated that since the divorce nearly a year ago he had not spent the quality time with landon that he now wished he had. the two - hour drive to landon’s new home only complicated the wish for more frequent visits. david decided he was not going to dwell on the past but instead look to the future. this weekend camping trip was just what they needed. 2 when david arrived, landon met him at the door, grinning like someone who’d just won the lottery. an hour later they were setting up camp. before long, they headed to the creek bank with fishing poles in hand. as they each sat on a five - gallon bucket, few words were spoken, but david knew that old wounds were healing. as landon reeled in a tiny bream, he looked over at his dad and said, “you know what, dad? this is the most fun i’ve ever had.” even though his throat was tightening in an effort to hold back tears, david managed to say, “me too, son. me, too.” what does the simile, “grinning like someone who’d just won the lottery” mean? a that he was happy that he’d won a great deal of money he could share with his dad. b that his father had brought him a great deal of money, making him extremely happy. c that he was very happy to see his dad, as happy as he might be if he won the lottery. d that playing the lottery is a form of gambling, which could lead to problems for the boy.

Explanation:

The simile "grinning like someone who'd just won the lottery" is used to describe David's smile. We analyze each option:

• Option A: The text doesn't mention winning money or sharing with his dad. Eliminate A.
• Option B: There's no mention of his father bringing him money. Eliminate B.
• Option C: The context shows David is happy to see his dad (they are on a camping trip to improve their relationship, and the emotional moment with his dad's words supports this. Winning the lottery is a common symbol of extreme happiness, so the simile implies David is very happy to see his dad, similar to how happy one would be if they won the lottery (or in this case, seeing his dad, which is a positive emotional event for him).
• Option D: The simile is about David's happiness, not about the lottery being gambling. Eliminate D.

Answer:

C. That he was very happy to see his dad, as happy as he might be if he won the lottery.