Question

Read the excerpt from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.

My next work was to view the country, and seek a proper place for my habitation, and where to stow my goods to secure them from whatever might happen. Where I was, I yet knew not; whether on the continent or on an island; whether inhabited or not inhabited; whether in danger of wild beasts or not. There was a hill not above a mile from me, which rose up very steep and high, and which seemed to overtop some other hills, which lay as in a ridge from it northward. I took out one of the fowling-pieces, and one of the pistols, and a horn of powder; and thus armed, I travelled for discovery up to the top of that hill, where, after I had with great labor and difficulty got to the top, I saw my fate, to my great affliction—viz. that I was in an island environed every way with the sea: no land to be seen except some rocks, which lay a great way off; and two small islands, less than this, which lay about three leagues to the west.

Which sentence best summarizes the excerpt?

A.
The narrator climbs a hill in his new surroundings and finds he is on an island.
B.
The narrator is unsure of where he is, so he sets off to learn about the island.
C.
The narrator gathers his things and searches for a place to make a habitation.
D.
The narrator is unable to tell if he is on an island or part of a main continent.

Answer 1

The best summary of the excerpt from 'Robinson Crusoe' is that the narrator climbs a hill and finds he is on an isolated island.

Step-by-step explanation:

From the given excerpt of 'Robinson Crusoe' by Daniel Defoe, the sentence that best summarizes the passage is option A. The narrator, who is also the protagonist of the story, ascends a steep hill with effort and discovers the isolation of his situation. Despite his initial uncertainty about his location, he confirms that he is indeed on an island after reaching the hilltop and observing his surroundings. This discovery brings him great affliction as he realizes his solitude.