Miss Brill

Read the sentence from the passage.

"He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow, and the bandsmen sitting in the green rotunda blew out their cheeks and glared at the music."

What is most likely the intended effect of the simile in the sentence?

• to present a complication in the moment before the music begins

• to suggest how loudly the music is going to be played

• to exaggerate the tension of the scene

• to convey a sense of showiness in the scene

Which excerpt from the passage best shows that Miss Brill takes pride in her own perceptiveness?

• "Wasn't the conductor wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new."

• "Now there came a little 'flutey' bit--very pretty!--a little chain of bright drops. She was sure it would be repeated. It was; she lifted her head and smiled."

• "She glanced sideways at the old couple. Perhaps they would go soon. Last Sunday, too, hadn't been as interesting as usual."

• "Behind the rotunda the slender trees with yellow leaves down drooping, and through them just a line of sea, and beyond the blue sky with gold-veined clouds."

Which statement best explains how the next-to-last paragraph supports the author's purpose?

• Miss Brill is shown as a detached yet sensitive observer of humanity.

• Miss Brill is shown as a tolerant and impartial judge of people.

• Miss Brill is shown as a meddlesome and opinionated person.

• Miss Brill is shown as a realistic yet inflexible social critic.

What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

• Miss Brill views social interaction as a stage play.

• Miss Brill is embarrassed to admit that she enjoys play acting.

• Miss Brill sees the interaction among people in the garden as a comedy.

• Miss Brill is disappointed to realize that the events in the gardens seem scripted.

Which statement best describes how the passage is affected by the third person point of view?

• It enhances the characterization of Miss Brill by showing how each minor character views her.

• It allows the reader to see the action from the perspective of Miss Brill and to see her objectively.

• It helps the reader understand the thoughts and feelings of each character that Miss Brill sees.

• It encourages sympathy toward Miss Brill by directly addressing the reader.

How does the setting most contribute to a theme of the passage?

• It provides an opportunity for the main character to indulge in imagination.

• It provides a safe place for the main character to feel at home with family.

• It provides an arena for the main character to learn the customs of a foreign culture.

• It provides a colorful backdrop for the main character to listen to a band.

Which statement best explains how the passage reflects the modernist focus on alienation?

• It highlights sensory details and establishes societal norms the characters must follow.

• It creates drab imagery and protrays the unrealistic expectations of all the characters.

• It focuses on character rather than plot and emphasizes the emotional isolation of the protagonist.

• It stresses the concerns of the female protagonist and points out the limitations faced by women.

What is the main way the author's use of fiction as a literary form influences the meaning of the passage?

• It allows for the inclusion of the author's bias.

• It provides insight into a variety of different characters.

• It enables the motivation of an invented character to be revealed gradually.

• It allows the thoughts of an invented character to be presented as stream of consciousness.