Question

Read the excerpt below and answer the question.

She was an old garrulous woman, a pawnbroker’s widow, who collected used stamps for some pious purpose.I had to endure the gossip of the tea-table. ("Araby" from Dubliners, p. 3)

Based on this context, which of the following best describes this woman?

talkative, religious, wealthy
quiet, religious, wealthy
quiet, religious, middle class
talkative, religious, middle class

Answer 1

D.) Talkative, Religious, Middle Class

Definitions:

Pious - devoutly religious

Garrulous - excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters

Pawnbroker - a person who lends money at interest on the security of an article pawned

Answer 2

Based on this context, the woman is best described by these words: talkative, religious, middle class

garrulous means talkative. It refers to a person who talks about unimportant things.

pious means religious. It refers to a person who has a deep respect for God.

Middle class refers to someone who has enough money to live and a bit more money to spend on extra things. A middle class person is generally too conventional and traditional. He / she may not like changes very much. The fact that the woman is a pawnbroker’s widow gives the idea she belongs to the middle-class; she is not wealthy -rich- . She still runs the shop where people go to sell used things. People give her used things , sometimes these things are valuable ( gold or silver) and when she sells them , she gives part of this money to the people. Besides, if these people leave their valuable objects but they never come back, she will keep the objects for herself.