SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
In Henrietta Vale's 1902 novel The Orchard Wall, the narrator portrays Mr. Prentice as a man who is generous toward others while denying himself even small comforts. The narrator conveys this when describing Mr. Prentice: ______
Which quotation from The Orchard Wall most effectively illustrates the claim?
"He had paid for a new stove for the schoolhouse that winter, though his own parlor went unheated, and he still wore the coat he had patched for ten years."
"He gave freely to every collection the church took up and was thanked for it from the pulpit each spring."
"He kept his accounts in a neat, small hand and had never owed any man a penny."
"His coat was patched at both elbows, and he walked to town in all weathers rather than hire a cart."
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
The claim has two parts: generosity toward others and self-denial. In choice A, Mr. Prentice buys a stove for the schoolhouse (generosity) while leaving his own parlor cold and wearing an old patched coat (self-denial). Choices B and D each show only one part.
Choice D shows Mr. Prentice going without comforts, but it says nothing about generosity toward others.
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. This option shows generosity through donations but fails to mention Mr. Prentice denying himself any personal comforts, so it only addresses half of the claim.
- C. This describes his financial habits and honesty but does not show him giving to others or sacrificing his own needs, missing both parts of the claim.
- D. While this shows self-denial through his patched coat and walking, it provides no evidence of generosity toward others, leaving the claim only partially supported.
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