SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
"Night Train" is a 1922 poem by Ruth Calloway. In the poem, the speaker, who lives in a quiet farming town, describes the sound of a distant train at night as comforting rather than lonely: ______
Which quotation from "Night Train" most effectively illustrates the claim?
"The rails run westward past the grain and river, / Past towns whose names I've only seen on maps."
"Its long, low call drifts through my open window / Like a lullaby, and I sleep the better for it."
"The station clock had stopped at half past nine, / And no one in the village thought to wind it."
"I've never ridden farther than the county line, / Though every summer I have meant to go."
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The claim is that the train's sound comforts the speaker. In choice B, the train's call is compared to "a lullaby," and the speaker sleeps "the better for it," which shows comfort directly.
Choice A describes where the train goes, not how its sound makes the speaker feel.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. This line describes the train's route and the speaker's limited knowledge of distant towns. It does not mention the sound of the train or how that sound affects the speaker's feelings.
- C. This quotation focuses on a stopped clock and the village's inaction. It provides no information about the train's sound or any comforting effect it has on the speaker.
- D. This line discusses the speaker's travel habits and unfulfilled intentions to visit other places. It does not address the auditory experience of the train or its emotional impact.
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