Question

read the excerpt from act 2 of a doll’s house.
rank: the bigger a thing it is the better. i can’t conceive what it is you mean. do tell me. haven’t i your confidence?
nora: more than anyone else. i know you are my truest and best friend, and so i will tell you what it is. well, doctor rank, it is something you must help me to prevent. you know how devotedly, how inexpressibly deeply torvald loves me; he would never for a moment hesitate to give his life for me.
rank: leaning towards her nora—do you think he is the only one—?
nora: with a slight start the only one—?
rank: the only one who would gladly give his life for your sake.
nora: sadly is that it?
what inference does this excerpt best support?
○ nora realizes that she can no longer ask doctor rank for help because he is in love with her.
○ nora realizes that she can trust only doctor rank because he has confessed his love for her.
○ doctor rank is willing to risk his life for nora because he wants to compete with helmer.
○ doctor rank has confessed his love because he thinks that doing so will help her with her problem.

Explanation:

• Analyze each option:
• Option 1: Nora’s reaction and Rank’s confession imply she realizes she can’t ask him for help due to his love (consistent with the excerpt’s tone and interactions).
• Option 2: “trust only” is not supported; she mentions Torvald’s love too.
• Option 3: No indication of competing with Helmer.
• Option 4: No evidence Rank confesses to help with her problem.

Answer:

A. Nora realizes that she can no longer ask Doctor Rank for help because he is in love with her.