Question

guided practice
read the excerpt.
from \out, out—\ by robert frost
the doctor put him in the dark of ether.
he lay and puffed his lips out with his breath.
and then—the watcher at his pulse took fright.
no one believed. they listened at his heart.
little—less—nothing! and that ended it.
no more to build on there. and they, since they
were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.
what can the reader conclude about the family from these lines in \out, out—\?
a. the family expected the boy to die when the accident occurred.
b. the family cannot take time from their chores to grieve.
c. the family does not care that the boy has died.
d. the family asked the doctor to put an end to the boy’s suffering

Explanation:

The text states that after the boy's death, the family "turned to their affairs" immediately. This shows they do not pause to grieve, as they return to their regular tasks right away. Option A is incorrect because there is no indication they expected his death. Option C is wrong; their return to affairs does not mean they do not care, just that they do not take time to grieve. Option D is incorrect as the doctor used ether as part of medical care, not at the family's request to end suffering.

Answer:

B. The family cannot take time from their chores to grieve.