Question

1. read the passage. from \the first seven years\ by bernard malamud \i am a businessman,\ the shoemaker abruptly said to conceal his embarrassment, \so i will explain you right away why i talk to you. i have a girl, my daughter miriam—she is nineteen—a very nice girl and also so pretty that everybody looks on her when she passes by in the street. she is smart, always with a book, and i thought to myself that a boy like you, an educated boy—i thought maybe you will be interested sometime to meet a girl like this.\ he laughed a bit when he had finished and was tempted to say more but had the good sense not to. how does the passage contribute to the story’s central idea? it shows feld’s belief in education for advancement. it shows feld’s desire for a better life for miriam. it shows that feld knows he’s making a bad decision. it shows that feld places business ahead of love.

Explanation:

Feld, a working-class shoemaker, highlights Miriam's intelligence, education, and positive qualities while proposing her to an educated young man. This reveals his wish for her to have a life with more opportunity and comfort than his own, which aligns with the story's central focus on generational hopes and upward mobility. The other options are incorrect: Feld does not emphasize education for his own advancement, he does not see this as a bad decision, and he prioritizes Miriam's future over business here.

Answer:

It shows Feld's desire for a better life for Miriam.