Question

from “a good action”
from the cricket on the hearth and other stories
by charles dickens

1. as edwin, beyond the owner of the station road, the impulse crystallized. one good action, likely he would perform one good, kind, unselfish action. no one should ever know of it. just one today. then perhaps one tomorrow, and so on, in time it might become a habit. that is how one becomes a good man. he knew his soul in the crowded throng; a smoker and pretended to feel his (newspaper). as his mind was fixed, they engaged with the problems of his own translation. how? when? where? how does one do a definitely good action? what is the best way to go to work? one could, of course, just quietly slip some money into a poor-box if one could be found. but would this be very good and self-sacrificing? who gets money put in a poor-box? surely his own family were as needy as that week. but he couldn’t go back home and give his wife a shilling. it would be advertising his charity, and he would look silly doing it. he decided he ought turn up and say to his assistants: “boys, you shall all have a day’s holiday. we’ll shut up, and here’s your pay for the day.” advertising again; besides, what about the hundreds of poor workers in the neighborhood who rely for their daily sustenance on “antheap’s pride-of-the-ocean” sauce? how to eat? it would be cruel, cruel, and—bad for business in the future. the public would lose confidence in that splendid gold-lettered tablet in the window, which set “cold boil, halibut, plaice, pilchards always on hand. eat them or take them away.”

based on the context of paragraph 1, what does the word “impulse” mean?
○ apparent summoner
○ friendly condition
○ director; supervisor
○ maintenance; control

Explanation:

First, locate paragraph 4 (the section discussing Edwin considering giving a sovereign to his wife, then thinking about closing his business to give workers a holiday, and the impact on the "hundreds of poor workers" who rely on the shop for midday food). The word "benefactor" refers to someone who provides help, especially financial support, to others. Edwin is considering acting as someone who supports these workers by giving them a holiday and pay, which matches "sponsor; supporter". The other options do not fit: a friend/confidant is a personal companion, a director/superior is a leader, and an acquaintance/contact is a casual associate, none of which align with the role of providing aid to the workers.

Answer:

sponsor; supporter