The Power of Humor — Test

Question 20 • CMS 2026-2027 English II CREDIT RECOVERY

What evidence from "The Storyteller” supports the theme that pride goes before a fall? Choose two correct answers.

Answer

“‘It’s a very difficult thing to tell stories that children can both understand and appreciate,’ she said stiffly.”

“‘Once upon a time,’ began the bachelor, ‘there was a little girl called Bertha, who was extraordinarily good.’ “The children’s momentarily-aroused interest began at once to flicker; all stories seemed dreadfully alike, no matter who told them.”

“‘Was she pretty?’ asked the bigger of the small girls. “‘Not as pretty as any of you,’ said the bachelor, ‘but she was horribly good.’ “There was a wave of reaction in favour of the story; the word horrible in connection with goodness was a novelty that commended itself. It seemed to introduce a ring of truth that was absent from the aunt’s tales of infant life.”

“‘Why weren’t there any flowers?’ “‘Because the pigs had eaten them all,’ said the bachelor promptly. ‘The gardeners had told the Prince that you couldn’t have pigs and flowers, so he decided to have pigs and no flowers.’”

“‘Unhappy woman!’ he observed to himself as he walked down the platform of Templecombe station; ‘for the next six months or so those children will assail her in public with demands for an improper story!’”

Explanation

The aunt’s stiff claim that telling stories children appreciate is difficult suggests she is proud of her storytelling ability. The bachelor’s final observation that the children will keep demanding an “improper story” shows the consequence: his story has made her careful, self-important approach ineffective and left her facing embarrassment.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

More from this Course

Test

Test

Test