Question

rolf carlé was in on the story of azucena from the beginning. he filmed the volunteers who discovered her, and the first persons who tried to reach her; his camera zoomed in on the girl, her dark face, her large desolate eyes, the plastered-down tangle of her hair. the mud was like quicksand around her, and anyone attempting to reach her was in danger of sinking.
they threw a rope to her that she made no effort to grasp until they shouted to her to catch it; then she pulled a hand from the mire and tried to move but immediately sank a little deeper. rolf threw down his knapsack and the rest of his equipment and waded into the quagmire, commenting for his assistant’s microphone that it was cold and that one could begin to smell the stench of corpses.
“what’s your name?” he asked the girl, and she told him her flower name. “don’t move, azucena,” rolf carlé directed, and kept talking to her, without a thought for what he was saying, just to distract her, while slowly he worked his way forward in mud up to his waist. the air around him seemed as murky as the mud.
it was impossible to reach her from the approach he was attempting, so he retreated and circled around where there seemed to be firmer footing. when finally he was close enough, he took the rope and tied it beneath her arms, so they could pull her out. he smiled at her with that smile that crinkles his eyes and makes him look like a little boy; he told her that everything was fine, that he was here with her now, that soon they would have her out. he signaled the others to pull, but as soon as the cord tensed, the girl screamed. they tried again, and her shoulders and arms appeared, but they could move her no farther; she was trapped. someone suggested that her legs might be caught in the collapsed walls of her house, but she said it was not just rubble, that she was also held by the bodies of her brothers and sisters clinging to her legs.

1. what clues in the last paragraph do you see the reveal how carle feels as he attempts to rescue azucena? give specific examples of the descriptive language the author uses.

Explanation:

1. His gentle, reassuring smile ("that smile that crinkles his eyes and makes him look like a little boy") shows he is trying to comfort Azucena, revealing his care and empathy.
2. His repeated reassuring statements ("he told her that everything was fine, that he was here with her now, that soon they would have her out") demonstrate he is prioritizing her calm, showing concern for her well-being.
3. His deliberate, careful actions (circling for firmer footing, tying the rope properly) show he is focused and determined to save her, indicating his dedication to her safety.

Answer:

• The author uses the detail of Rolf Carlé's "smile that crinkles his eyes and makes him look like a little boy" paired with his reassuring words ("everything was fine, that he was here with her now, that soon they would have her out") to show he feels compassionate and focused on comforting Azucena.
• His careful, strategic actions (retreating to find firmer footing, tying the rope beneath her arms) reveal he is determined and earnest about rescuing her, prioritizing her safety over rushing the process.
• His immediate response to her distress when the rope is pulled shows he is attuned to her suffering, highlighting his empathy.