Question 8 • CMS 2025-2026 English I CREDIT RECOVERY
Read the passage from “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Mrs. Flowers didn't belong to our church, nor was she Momma's familiar. Why on earth did she insist on calling her Sister Flowers? Shame made me want to hide my face. Mrs. Flowers deserved better than to be called Sister. Then, Momma left out the verb. Why not ask, "How are you, Mrs. Flowers?" With the unbalanced passion of the young, I hated her for showing her ignorance to Mrs. Flowers. It didn't occur to me for many years that they were as alike as sisters, separated only by formal education. Which line from the passage shows Maya Angelou’s adult viewpoint?
Answer
A
Mrs. Flowers didn't belong to our church, nor was she Momma's familiar.
B
Mrs. Flowers deserved better than to be called Sister.
C
With the unbalanced passion of the young, I hated her for showing her ignorance to Mrs. Flowers.
D
It didn't occur to me for many years that they were as alike as sisters, separated only by formal education.
Explanation
The adult viewpoint appears where the narrator reflects on what she understood only later. The phrase “It didn't occur to me for many years” signals that Maya is looking back with adult perspective and recognizing that Momma and Mrs. Flowers were alike despite their different levels of formal education. Choice C describes her feelings as a young person at the time.
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