Question

their home,
grazing
1
in aroostook county, northern maine, i knew nothing about fiddleheads or
the northern lights. i didnt even know enough not to eat the skin of a potato,
my favorite part. now farmers spray potatoes with chemicals twice, once while
still in the ground, and once in the trucks. the farmers looked sad when they
told me. theyre absolutely certain the poison stays in the skin.
2
i went to see a man in the next town who knew where to find pussy
willows. his wife had invited me. he was sitting on his couch eating popcorn
when i arrived. \have you seen a moose yet?\ he asked. when i said no, he
stayed silent for a long time. he seemed angry. then he blurted, \im thinking
about death today. when my parents were alive, i didnt think about it, i didnt
have to. now, they are dead and nothing is standing between us. between me
and death—im next.\
3
he sat there and his wife brought me a smaller bowl of popcorn. we all sat
there, eating and not speaking.
4
a woodstove weighted the room, and a shelf of old science projects: rocks
with dusty labels, mounted drawings of seeds. i could smell winter coming out
of the couch—musty, smoky, so long, so cold. we went into the woods
together, wearing jackets, stepping on stones between crusts of leftover snow.
5
\its the ugliest time of year,\ their daughter said. \april always seems
ugliest because its neither green nor white,\ i liked the shades of brown and
gray, but didnt say so. its easy to like things you dont see very often.
this sentence is from the passage.
\a woodstove weighted the room, and a shelf of old
science projects: rocks with dusty labels, mounted
drawings of seeds.\ (paragraph 4)
what does the author’s use of the word weighted help
readers understand?

1. the house is often cold.
2. the stove is heavy and old - fashioned.
3. the house is cluttered with useless objects.
4. the stove is the central feature of the room.

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "weighted" in this context, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The text doesn't give clues about the house being cold from "weighted"; the smell of winter is separate. Eliminate.
• Option 2: "Weighted" here isn't about the stove's physical weight or age, but its presence in the room. Eliminate.
• Option 3: The shelf of old science projects is separate from the stove's "weighted" effect. Eliminate.
• Option 4: "Weighted the room" implies the woodstove has a strong, central presence, making it a key feature of the room. This fits.

Answer:

1. The stove is the central feature of the room.