Question

read the excerpt relating to reverend john wilson from chapter 3 of the scarlet letter.

the voice which had called her attention was that of the revered and famous john wilson, the eldest clergyman of boston, a great scholar, like most of his contemporaries in the profession, and withal a man of kind and genial spirit. this last attribute, however, had been less carefully developed than his intellectual gifts, and was, in truth, rather a matter of shame than self-congratulation with him.

what does the excerpt reveal about reverend john wilson?
he believes that he is superior and more intellectually gifted than others who practice his profession in the boston area.
he believes that a man must make equal use of both his intellect and his emotions to make critical decisions.
he believes that men who are not great scholars have little to contribute to the growth of society.
he believes that words and actions based on the intellect are superior to those based on emotions.

Explanation:

The excerpt states Wilson is a renowned, scholarly Boston clergyman with a kind spirit, but he views his underdeveloped kind, genial side as shameful rather than something to be proud of, prioritizing his intellectual gifts over his emotional traits.

• Option 1 is incorrect: The text says he is like most of his professional contemporaries in being a great scholar, not that he thinks he is superior to them.
• Option 2 is incorrect: He does not value equal use of intellect and emotions; he sees his emotional/kind side as a shame.
• Option 3 is incorrect: The excerpt does not mention his views on non-scholars' societal contributions.
• Option 4 is correct: His shame over his underdeveloped kind spirit and focus on his intellectual gifts shows he prioritizes intellect-based words/actions over emotional ones.

Answer:

He believes that words and actions based on the intellect are superior to those based on emotions.