Question

read the passage. there are several questions about this passage.
the streetstamp band
1 mr. jones tapped the sheet music to the meter of mama beating the rug.
“henry thomas walker, you keep your eyes on the notes. your mama and
daddy pay me to teach you the proper way to play, and that means following
the music in front of you.”
2 henry knew full well mama and daddy weren’t paying mr. jones any
money. they had acquired the secondhand trumpet and mr. jones’s services
the same way they got almost everything else—
3 after mr. jones left, henry asked for and received permission to go on
outside for a while. the after - dinner hours were always the busiest time on
henry’s block. it seemed like the whole neighborhood turned out to greet the
nighttime. the kids gathered on the stoop and traded cut and gossip. the
day - kicked - can, skooker game, hopscotch, and jump ropes filled the
sidewalks. henry navigated his way through the crowded sidewalk. he had no intention of joining the street games tonight. this was friday night, and friday night held a special meaning for henry. the
building would be playing downtown at the top hat club.
4 henry slipped around the corner, leaving his commotion not far
behind, and ran the three blocks to the club. he took the usual peek around
the streetlamp and began to sway to and fro. inside the spring, the band
was playing a lively combination of ragtime and jazz music. the notes
and sweet and smooth as silk, drifted through the open windows, strung
their way through the night air. henry was moved deeply. he forgot about body
to the melody as if he could be part of them. he closed his eyes and let his
imaginary trumpet to blare. he forgot all about the sidewalks and jump ropes
as imaginary friends to play his horn on the bandstand up on the stage.
in the first sentence of paragraph 9, which does “his feet felt bolted to the pavement” mean?
○ 1 his feet were stuck to the ground.
○ 2 he was too nervous to move.
○ 3 his shoes were feeling too heavy.
○ 4 he had a bolt stuck to his shoe.

Explanation:

To solve this question, we analyze the context and the meaning of the phrase "his feet felt bolted to the pavement":

Step 1: Analyze Option 1

"His feet were stuck to the ground" is a literal interpretation, but the phrase is figurative (not about physical adhesion). Eliminate this.

Step 2: Analyze Option 2

The story shows Henry is nervous about performing (he’s going to play at the club, has practiced, and the moment is significant). Feeling “bolted” (unable to move) due to nervousness fits the figurative use of the phrase. This aligns with the context of anticipation/anxiety.

Step 3: Analyze Option 3

There is no mention of heavy shoes in the passage. This is irrelevant. Eliminate this.

Step 4: Analyze Option 4

There is no mention of a bolt stuck to his shoe. This is a literal misinterpretation. Eliminate this.

Answer:

1. He was too nervous to move.