Question

Part A

In the excerpt from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, why does Tom tell Ben that he does not consider whitewashing the fence to be work?


He wants to keep Ben from taking his job.

He is trying to trick Ben.

He wants to go swimming with Ben.

He wants Ben to keep talking to him.
Question 2
Part B

Which text evidence best supports the answer to Part A?


"Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart. "

"'Only just a little—I’d let you, if you was me, Tom.'"

"Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind:"

"Ben ranged up alongside of him. Tom’s mouth watered for the apple, but he stuck to his work."

Answer 1

Part A: Option B) He is trying to trick Ben

The Evidence is shown and explained in part B of the question.

Part B: Option D) "Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart. "

Reluctance means 'unwillingness or disinclination to do something', which means that Tom is making it look like he doesn't want to give the brush to him, but with alacrity in his heart which means cheerfulness.

Answer 2

Part A- He is trying to trick Ben.

Part B- "Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart."

Step-by-step explanation:

Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" revolves around the story of a young boy named Tom Sawyer and his adventures along the river Mississippi. The story follows a mischievous Tom, playing or fooling his Aunt Polly, his friends, and also includes his half-brother Sid.

In the chapter "The Glorious Whitewasher", Tom was made to paint the fence while his friends were enjoying their day. Though reluctant to whitewash the fence, he had no means to escape the work. So, he reluctantly worked on that, when along came Ben Rogers. Tom fooled Ben into doing his work by saying ‘whitewashing isn't work’, asking "Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" This changed Ben's opinion of the work.

But when Ben asked to do the work, Tom refused, though that was all part of the plan. He would trick Ben into doing the work, and also in exchange for his apple. The use of the word "reluctance" showed Tom's refusal to let Ben do the work but deep inside, he was happy to be relieved of it, with the narrator using the word "alacrity" in the same sentence.

Thus, the correct answers are

Part A- He is trying to trick Ben.

Part B- "Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart."