Question

Read the fable "Belling the Cat." Answer the question that follows.

Once upon a time the mice sat in council and talked of how they might outwit their enemy, the Cat. But good advice was scarce, and in vain the president called upon all the most experienced mice present to find a way.

At last a very young mouse held up two fingers and asked to be allowed to speak, and as soon as he could get permission he said:

"I've been thinking for a long time why the Cat is such a dangerous enemy. Now, it's not so much because of her quickness, though people make so much fuss about that. If we could onlynoticeher in time, I've no doubt we're nimble enough tojump into our holes before she could do us any harm. It's in her velvet paws, there's where she hides her cruel claws till she gets us in her clutches—that's where her power lies. With those paws she can tread so lightly that we can't hear her coming. And so, whileweare still dancing heedlessly about the place, she creeps close up, and before we know where we are she pounces down on us and has us in her clutches. Well, then, it's my opinion we ought to hang a bell round her neck to warn us of her coming while there's yet time."

Everyone applauded this proposal, and the council decided that it should be carried out.

Now the question to be settled was, who should undertake to fasten the bell round the Cat's neck?

The president declared that no one could be better fitted for the task than he who had given such excellent advice.

But at that the young mouse became quite confused and stammered an excuse. He was too young for the deed, he said. He didn't know the Cat well enough. His grandfather, who knew her better, would be more suited to the job.

But the grandfather declared that just because he knew the Cat very well he would take good care not to attempt such a task.

And the long and the short of it was that no other mouse would undertake the duty; and so this clever proposal was never carried out, and the Cat remained mistress of the situation.

Which event occurs in the fable's rising action?

A. The Cat goes unpunished and continues to torment the mice.
B. The council decides the young mouse should bell the cat.
C. The young mouse tells the council his plan to bell the cat.
D. The mice council decides to hold a meeting to discuss the cat.

Answer 1

C. The young mouse tells the council his plan to bell the cat.

Step-by-step explanation:

The rising action in a story is the series of events that build tension and develop the central conflict. In "Belling the Cat," the central conflict is the mice trying to find a way to outwit their enemy, the Cat. The rising action begins when a very young mouse holds up two fingers and asks to speak during the mice council meeting. This moment is crucial in the story because it introduces a potential solution to the conflict, which is the young mouse's plan to hang a bell around the Cat's neck.

The young mouse's speech is a turning point in the story as it presents a new and innovative idea to address the problem of the Cat's stealthy attacks. He explains that the Cat's danger lies not in its speed but in its ability to move silently, making it difficult for the mice to detect its presence until it's too late. The proposed solution of hanging a bell around the Cat's neck to provide an early warning is met with enthusiasm and applause from the council members.

This event sets the story in motion, as the council decides to proceed with the plan to bell the Cat. It represents the rising action because it initiates the actions and preparations required to carry out the plan. The tension and anticipation in the story increase as the mice contemplate who will be brave enough to undertake the dangerous task of fastening the bell to the Cat's neck.

So, the event "The young mouse tells the council his plan to bell the cat" is a crucial part of the rising action because it introduces the central conflict-solving idea and sets the stage for the subsequent events in the fable.