Question

4
select the correct answer.
read the following excerpt from l. frank baum’s the wonderful wizard of oz. based on its context, what is the meaning of the word startled?
when dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, aunt em had been so startled by the child’s laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever dorothy’s merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.
a. delighted
b. surprised
c. angered
d. confused
question serial: mc - c120 - 2292 - 8561

Explanation:

The context shows Aunt Em reacts to Dorothy's laughter by screaming and clutching her heart, plus she looks at Dorothy with "wonder"—this aligns with being caught off guard, which matches the meaning of "surprised". The other options do not fit: "delighted" would mean happy, "angered" means upset, and "confused" means puzzled, none of which match the described reaction.

Answer:

B. surprised