Question

select the correct answer.
in this excerpt from \my last duchess\ by robert browning, what can you infer about the duchess?

the bough of cherries some officious fool
broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
she rode with round the terrace—all and each
would draw from her alike the approving speech,

a. she was a good - humored person.

b. she was generous with praise.

c. she was reluctant to acknowledge favors.

d. she was hardworking and diligent.

Explanation:

The excerpt states that small, ordinary things (a cherry bough, a white mule ride) all drew "approving speech" from the Duchess. This shows she readily gave positive praise to many different, mundane things and gestures. Option A is incorrect because "good-humored" is not the direct inference; the focus is on her giving praise, not her general mood. Option C is the opposite of the text, as she does acknowledge favors with approval. Option D is unrelated, as no mention of work ethic is made.

Answer:

B. She was generous with praise.