Question 6 • VT-FL-FAST-Grade 10 English Language Arts-Reading
Read the passage from Lord of the Flies by William Golding.Jack stood there, streaming with sweat, streaked with brown earth, stained by all the vicissitudes of a day’s hunting. Swearing, he turned off the trail and pushed his way through until the forest opened a little and instead of bald trunks supporting a dark roof there were light grey trunksand crowns of feathery palm. Beyond these was the glitter of the sea and he could hear voices. Ralph was standing by a contraption of palm trunks and leaves, a rude shelter that faced the lagoon and seemed very near to falling down. He did not notice when Jack spoke."Got any water?”Ralph looked up, frowning, from the complication of leaves. He did not notice Jack even when he saw him."I said have you got any water? I’m thirsty.”Ralph withdrew his attention from the shelter and realized Jack with a start.
Answer
A
the loss of innocence
B
the tension between freedom and responsibility
C
society’s dependence on authority
D
humanity’s search for meaning in the world
Explanation
The passage contrasts Jack, who has spent the day hunting, with Ralph, who is working on a shelter. Their different priorities suggest a conflict between doing what one wants and taking responsibility for the group’s needs. This develops the theme of the tension between freedom and responsibility, choice B.
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