Question

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Explanation:

Option A directly describes the old man's shoddy clothes and features marked by poverty, which is explicit evidence of his lack of money. Option B shows someone giving him a coin, but this does not prove he is poor. Option C refers to small payment terms for his music, not his own financial state. Option D refers to shared melancholy, not financial status.

Answer:

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