Question

the idiot
fyodor dostoevsky
towards the end of november, during a thick, wet, foggy morning, a train on the warsaw and petersburg railway was approaching the latter city at full speed. the morning was so damp and misty that it was only with great difficulty that the day succeeded in breaking; and it was impossible to distinguish anything more than a few yards away from the carriage windows.
some of the passengers by this particular train were returning from abroad, but the third - class carriages were the best filled, chiefly with insignificant persons of various occupations and degrees, picked up at the different stations nearer town. all of them seemed weary and most of them had sleepy eyes and a shivering expression, while their complexions generally appeared to have taken on the colour of the fog outside.
when day dawned, two passengers in one of the third - class carriages found themselves opposite each other. both were young fellows, both were rather poorly dressed, both had remarkable faces, and both were evidently anxious to start a conversation. if they had but known why, at this particular moment, they were both remarkable persons, they would undoubtedly have wondered at the strange chance which had set them down opposite to one another in a third - class carriage of the warsaw railway company.
one of them was a young fellow of about twenty - seven, not tall, with black curling hair and small, grey, fiery eyes. his nose was broad and flat, and he had high cheek - bones; his thin lips were constantly compressed into an impudent, ironical - aught almost be called a malicious - smile; but his forehead was high and well - formed, and promised a good deal of the intelligence of the upper part of his face. a special feature of this physiognomy was death - like pallor, which gave to the young man an indescribably exhausted appearance in spite of his hard look, and at the same time a sort of passionate and suffering expression which did not harmonize with his impudent, sarcastic smile and keen, self - satisfied bearing. he wore a large fur - lined cloak - overcoat which had kept him warm all night, while his neighbour had been obliged to bear the full severity of a russian november night entirely unprotected. his wide sleeveless mantle with a large cape to it, the sort of cloak one meets with in switzerland during the winter months in savoyard or tyrolese - way by no means adapted to the long cold journey through russia, from eydkuhnen to petersburg.
the owner of this useful raiment was a young fellow, also of about twenty - six or twenty - seven years of age, slightly above the middle height, very fair, with a thin, pointed and very light - coloured beard; his eyes were large and blue, and had an earnest look about them, yet that heavy expression which some people affirm to be a necessary accompaniment to every russian face. he looked listless and rather sad; he had the air of a man who has been some time ill, perhaps feverish, but also thoughtful, and quite absorbed and indifferent to his surroundings, with that common look of offended dignity often shown by such as are suffering from some chronic internal complaint.
his black - faced neighbour noticed these peculiarities. having nothing better to do, and being inquisitive, with that sort of enjoyment of the misfortunes of others which is common enough in other classes.
which statement expresses a theme of this passage?
a being rude and disrespectful always has a bad result and should be avoided.
b sometimes lovers who meet together by chance can find much in common with each other.
c travelling by train may be cheaper than other forms of transportation, but it can also be exciting.
d it is important to dress appropriately for the weather, especially when the temperature is very low.

Explanation:

The passage focuses on passengers on a train, mainly describing their appearance and general state. Option A about being rude and suspicious has no basis in the passage. Option C about train - travel being cheaper or more exciting is not the main point. Option D about driving for medical reasons is not mentioned. Option B can be inferred as the passage shows two young men sitting together and potentially finding common ground as they start a conversation.

Answer:

B. Sometimes travelers who sit together by chance can find much in common with each other.