Read this excerpt from The Little Foxes . REGINA ( triumphantly ) But you don’t know that in the last few days Ben has agreed to give us—you, I mean—a much larger share. HORACE: Really? That’s very generous of him. BEN: ( laughs ) It wasn’t so generous of me. It was smart of Regina. REGINA: ( as if she were signaling HORACE) I explained to Ben that perhaps you hadn’t answered his letters because you didn’t think he was offering you enough, and that the time was getting short and you could guess how much he needed you— Which best describes why Regina tells the group, “I explained to Ben that perhaps you hadn’t answered his letters because you didn’t think he was offering you enough, and that the time was getting short and you could guess how much he needed you—”?
Answer
A
to make Horace feel as though he deserves a portion of the credit
B
to pacify Horace before he gets angry about what she has done
C
to reassure Ben that she was telling the truth about her motives
D
to convince Ben that he has been wise to trust what she has said
Explanation
Regina explains that she used Horace’s silence to persuade Ben to offer a larger share, implying that Horace’s position helped secure the deal. By saying “you could guess how much he needed you,” she makes Horace feel his importance and gives him some credit for the improved offer. The best choice is “to make Horace feel as though he deserves a portion of the credit.”
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