Question

Select the correct text in the passage.

Which detail in the cyclists' dialogue refines the idea that they might be related?

(19) "This is confusing," he remarked in a tone of argument. "Let's sit down and have a pipe over it--we shall have to differentiate ourselves before we start out into the world together."...

(20) "Let's differentiate our names somehow," said the pleasant-voiced one lazily--"Did your godfathers, etc., do anything more for you than Edward--mine didn't."

(21) The other shook his head. Something in his handsome face had already differentiated itself from the amused curiosity on his companion's.

(22) "That's awkward--we shall be driven to abbreviations. You shall be Ted, and I Ned--both dentals but philologically uninterchangeable; so they'll do for the present. Well, Ted, since you are twenty-seven and I'm gone twenty-nine, and my father died before I was born, we can't be complicated up as long--lost brothers--can we?"

(23) Ted turned to him frowning sharply--"No! but--but what put that into your head. I----"

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Answer 1

The dialogue in excerpt (22) where the ages and the fact that one's father died before birth are mentioned, refines the idea that the cyclists might be brothers by implying it's not genetically possible for them to be full brothers.

Step-by-step explanation:

The detail in the cyclists' dialogue that refines the idea that they might be related can be seen in the excerpt (22), where the speaker states, "Well, Ted, since you are twenty-seven and I'm gone twenty-nine, and my father died before I was born, we can't be complicated up as long--lost brothers--can we?" This piece of dialogue introduces the idea that they might be brothers, but the information provided about their ages and the death of one's father before his birth means it is not genetically possible for them to be full brothers, thus refining the idea of their potential relationship.

Answer 2

The detail in line (22) refines the idea that the cyclists might be related by dismissing the possibility of them being long-lost brothers due to their age difference and circumstances around one's father's death.

Step-by-step explanation:

The detail in the cyclists' dialogue that refines the idea that they might be related is found in line (22), where one cyclist mentions their respective ages and the fact that his father died before he was born, thus dismissing the possibility that they might be long-lost brothers.

This reveals that they were considering their potential relationship due to similarities that had led to confusion about their individual identities. The dialogue focuses on differentiating themselves, which suggests that the resemblance or connection between them was significant enough to require clarification, further supporting the refining of the idea that they could be related.

The detail in the passage that refines the idea that the cyclists might be related is in sentence (21) which states, 'The other shook his head. Something in his handsome face had already differentiated itself from the amused curiosity on his companion's.'

This detail suggests that the two cyclists have a similarity in their appearance, indicating that they could be related. It implies that they share certain physical traits or family resemblances.