Question

the streetlamp 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—
mr. jones—through bartering. daddy had repaired the rickety railing on mr. jones’s front porch in exchange for the horn. mama scrubbed mr. jones’s laundry every week in exchange for the music lessons. henry was grateful for mama and daddy’s sacrifices and for mr. jones no disrespect, but he also had no need for looking at the sheet music. he had been practicing that same song for a month, so the notes were permanently etched in his mind.
3 after mr. jones left, henry asked for and received permission to go 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 neighbors. the ladies gathered on a stoop and shared recipes and gossip. the men huddled on the corner and traded for the position of who had the hardest day. kick - the - can, skip rope, hide - and - seek, and jump rope filled the street as the children played. he had no interest in street games tonight. this was friday night, and friday nights had a special meaning for henry. the band would be playing downtown at the top hat club.
4 henry slipped around the corner, leaving the commotion and tumult behind. he ran the three blocks to the club. he took the usual place under the stairway and peeped through a side door. inside the building, the band was playing an lively tune. the music flowed through the open windows, soft and sweet and smooth as silk. henry could almost see the notes as they floated freely through the air. he had meant to just stay for a minute, to listen as much of the set as he could. but then he heard the sound he’d been waiting for. to come alive, henry’s feet started tapping. he showed his eyes, too, as if he were imagining himself on stage. he hoped the moment would never pass, that he could always hear
based on the story, which of these is most likely true about henry?

1. he is not interested in performing in front of others.
2. he is passionate about playing trumpet music.
3. he does not enjoy playing street games.
4. he wants to help his parents barter for lessons.

Explanation:

To determine the most likely true statement about Henry, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The story shows Henry is eager to play (e.g., going to the band's place, practicing), so he is interested in performing. Eliminate 1.
• Option 2: Henry has been practicing the same music for a month, goes to where the band plays, and the text implies his passion for trumpet (e.g., "trumpet filled his strength as he navigated...", and the special meaning of Friday night for him related to the band). This aligns with being passionate about trumpet music.
• Option 3: The story says "Henry had no recent interest in street games tonight" but doesn't mean he never enjoys them. The wording "tonight" is specific, so we can't conclude he dislikes street games overall. Eliminate 3.
• Option 4: The story states his parents bartered (exchanged services) for lessons, and there's no indication Henry wants to help with bartering. Eliminate 4.

Answer:

1. He is passionate about playing trumpet music.