Question

question 6
use context clues to determine the meaning of sensible as it is used in paragraph 79. then, write your definition of sensible here and identify clues that helped you figure out the meaning. then, check the meaning in the dictionary.

passage excerpts (paraphrased for clarity):
77:
ikki - tikki! you are not going to eat her eggs?\
78:
ot eat exactly, ...\
79: \darzee was a feather - brained little fellow who could never hold more than one idea at a time in his head. and just because he knew that nagainas children must be born in eggs like his own, he didnt think at first that it was fair to kill them. but his wife was a sensible bird, and she knew that cobras eggs meant young cobras later on; she also knew that the eggs need care, and left darzee to keep the babies warm, and continue the song about the death of nag. darzee was very like a man in some ways.\
80: \she fluttered in front of nagaina by the rubbish heap and cried out, oh, my wing is broken! the boy in the house threw a stone at me and broke it. then she fluttered three desperately fluty notes.\
81:
againa lifted up her head and hissed, you warned rikki - tikki when i would have killed him. indeed and truly youve chosen a bad place to be born in, and she moved toward darzees wife, slipping along over the dirt.\
82: \the boy broke it with a stone! shrieked darzees wife.\

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the context of "sensible" in Paragraph 79:

Step 1: Identify Context Clues

In Paragraph 79, it says, "But his wife was a sensible girl, and she knew that coals, eggs meant young coals, later on. She also knew both the need, and told Daweez to keep the babies warm, and continue the song about the thorn of Nag Daweez was very like a man in some ways."

Step 2: Deduce the Meaning

The wife’s actions (knowing the meaning of coals/eggs, caring for babies, giving practical advice) show she is practical, reasonable, and level - headed—able to make good judgments and act wisely in daily tasks.

Step 3: Verify with Dictionary

A dictionary definition of "sensible" includes "having or showing good sense; reasonable; practical", which matches the context (she acts thoughtfully and practically in caring for the family).

To determine the meaning of "sensible" in Paragraph 79:

1. Context Clues: The wife’s actions (understanding coals/eggs, caring for babies, giving advice) show practicality and good judgment.
2. Dictionary Check: "Sensible" means "having good sense; practical/reasonable", aligning with her thoughtful, useful behavior.

Answer:

In Paragraph 79, "sensible" means having or showing good sense; practical, reasonable, and able to make wise judgments (e.g., the wife acts thoughtfully to care for the family and understand symbolic meanings like "coals, eggs" as "young coals").