Question

for those who love music by ales munthe (adapted) for those who love music is one of the short memoirs and essays from ales munthes book vagabond. in this story, the author recounts his memories of his interactions with an organ - player and his monkey who performed in the streets to make money. (1) i had engaged him by the year. twice a week he came and went through his whole repertoire, and lastly, out of sympathy for me, he would play the miserere of the trastevere, which was his show - piece, twice over. he stood there in the middle of the street looking steadily up at my windows while he played, and when he had finished he would take off his hat with an addio, signor. (2) it is well known that the nearer an organ gets a richer and more sympathetic tone the older it is. the old artist had an excellent instrument, not of the modern noisy type which imitates a whole orchestra with flutes and bells and beats of drums, but a melancholy old - fashioned barrel - organ which knew how to lend a dreamy mystery to the gayest allegretto, and in whose proudest tempo di marcia there sounded an unmistakable undertone of resignation. and in the tenderest pieces of the repertoire, where the melody, muted and staggering like a cracked old human voice, groped its way amongst the rusty pipes of the treble, then there was a trembling in the bass like suppressed sobs. now and then the voice of the tired organ failed it completely, and then the old man would regretfully turn the handle, giving some bars of rest more touching in their eloquent silence than any music. (3) true, the instrument was not very expressive, but the old man had. which phrase offers the best evidence that the organ - player does not have much money? a. the old man had surely his share in the sensation of melancholy which came over me whenever i heard his music (paragraph 3) b. the old mans clothes were doubtful, and the pallor of poverty lay over his withered features. (paragraph 5) c. the child pointed towards the old man, and then ran up to him and laid a silver coin in his hat (paragraph 10) d. but the old mans terms were so small, and you know i have always been so fond of music (paragraph 6)

Explanation:

The description of the old man's "doubtful" clothes and the "palor of poverty" over his "withered features" in option B directly indicates his lack of money. Option A focuses on the author's emotional response, option C is about a child giving a coin, and option D is about the old - man's terms being small which is not as direct an indication of his lack of money as option B.

Answer:

B. "the old man's clothes were doubtful, and the pallor of poverty lay over his withered features." (paragraph 5)