Question

read the paragraph below.
soon after the moving truck departed, i made way next door to greet the new neighbors. a boy was playing in the yard, and i greeted him and introduced myself. in response, the boy ducked his head and mumbled an inaudible reply. though he smiled, he quickly retreated toward his mother on the porch. when i said, \welcome to the neighborhood,\ his cheeks turned pink, and he disappeared through the open front door.
what inference can be drawn about the boy?
○ he is upset by the narrator’s intrusion.
○ he creates imaginative games with others.
○ he prefers his friends from his old neighborhood.
○ he is shy and uncomfortable in new situations

Explanation:

• Option 1: The narrator's action is a friendly greeting, not an intrusion, so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: The passage only shows the boy playing alone, no info about games with others, so wrong.
• Option 3: There's no mention of old neighborhood friends, so this is not supported.
• Option 4: The boy mumbled an inaudible reply, retreated to his mother, blushed, and disappeared, all indicating shyness and discomfort in the new situation of meeting a new neighbor.

Answer:

D. He is shy and uncomfortable in new situations