Question

she stopped for a moment beside one of the prickly dark shrubs with which the city had beautified the home, and then proceeded slowly toward the building, which was of whitewashed brick and reflected the winter sunlight like a block of ice. as she walked vaguely up the steps she shifted the small pot from hand to hand; then she had to set it down and remove her mittens before she could open the heavy door.
— eudora welty, \a visit of charity\
what words give the passage from \a visit of charity\ a dark and foreboding mood?
a. beautified the home
b. prickly dark shrubs
c. shifted the small pot
d. reflected the winter sunlight

Explanation:

To determine which words create a dark and foreboding mood, we analyze each option:

• Option A: "beautified the Home" suggests a positive action, not dark/foreboding.
• Option B: "prickly dark shrubs" uses "prickly" (implying danger/harm) and "dark" (suggesting gloom/mystery), which contribute to a dark, foreboding mood.
• Option C: "shifted the small pot" is a neutral action, no mood impact.
• Option D: "reflected the winter sunlight" could be neutral or even bright, not dark/foreboding.

Answer:

B. prickly dark shrubs