Question

Read this excerpt from a personal narrative.

“That will be $7.50,” the cashier said after ringing up the groceries I hoped to purchase.

I looked in my wallet and saw only a $5 bill. My face flushed as I realized I would have to put a few things back.

“Um . . . sorry. I thought I had more money with me,” I replied. “What if I put back the bottle of juice? How much will that be?”

Immediately, the woman standing in line behind me reached into her purse, pulled out $2.50, and handed it to the cashier.

“Oh, thanks,” I said, surprised and relieved at the same time. “This is so generous of you. How can I repay you?”

“Don’t thank me,” the woman replied. “I’m no saint. I just don’t want to wait in line any longer. Now you can go, and I can finally buy my groceries and get out of here.”

How does the dialogue in the paragraph help develop the narrative?

It explains why the narrator does not have enough money to buy groceries.
It explains how the experience in the store has shaped the identity of the author.
It provides background information that helps the reader get to know the characters.
It reveals the characters’ thoughts and feelings about

Answer 1

It reveals the characters’ thoughts and feelings about

Now, this sentence wasn't complete, but it seems like the most obvious choice. The dialogue didn't tell us why the narrator does not have enough money to buy groceries, nor does it explain how the experience in the store has shaped the identity of the author. It might provide a little background information that helps the reader get to know the characters, but for now, option D seems the most fitting. You can use context clues and experience to hypothesize that it might be "it reveals the characters’ thoughts and feelings about the situation."

Hope this helped!