Read the excerpt below from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith and answer the question that follows. [H]e lived on the pennies of the youngsters and he didn’t want to be boycotted. How does the language in the excerpt reveal the setting of the story?

The word “pennies” suggests a time when small amounts of money mattered in everyday life, helping establish the story’s historical setting. The detail that he depended on children’s pennies also points to the economic circumstances of that time. So choice C, the reference to “pennies” reveals the historical context, best explains how the language shows the setting.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.