Question

had planned for this day, and its success multiplied. soon his mind was busy listing along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work—the very thought of it turned him like lead into gold over his worldly wealth and exchanged it—bits of toys, marbles, and trash, enough to buy an exchange of work, maybe, but not half enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom. so he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up about of trying to buy the boys. at this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! nothing less than a great, magnificent inspiration
he took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. ben rogers hove in sight presently—the very boy of all boys, whose ridicule he had been dreading. bens gait was the hop-skip-and-jump—proof enough that his heart was light and his anticipations high. he was eating an apple, and giving a long, melodious whoop, at intervals, followed by a deep-toned ding-dong-dong, ding-dong-dong, for he was personating a steamboat. as he drew near, he slackened speed, took the middle of the street, leaned far over to starboard and rounded to ponderously and with laborious pomp and circumstance—for he was personating the big missouri, and considered himself to be drawing nine feet of water. he was boat and captain and engine-bells combined, so he had to imagine himself standing on his own hurricane-deck giving the orders and executing them:
\stop her, sir! ting-a-ling-ling!\ the headway ran almost out, and he drew up slowly toward the sidewalk.
\ship up to back! ting-a-ling-ling!\ his arms straightened and stiffened down his sides.
\set her back on the stabboard! ting-a-ling-ling! chow! ch-chow-wow! chow!\ his right hand, mean-time, describing stately circles—for it was representing a forty-foot wheel....
think
question 3
what does tom learn about the difference between work and play at the end of the passage? cite evidence from the text to support your answer.

Explanation:

Answer:

Tom learns that work can be made to seem appealing (play-like) to others, while play that feels like work to him can be avoided by shifting his mindset.
Evidence: He pretends whitewashing is desirable to get Ben to do it, and later fully immerses himself in pretending to be a steamboat captain, turning a chore into imaginative play.