Question

Read the opening paragraph of "Mr. and Mrs. Dove” by Katherine Mansfield.

Of course he knew—no man better—that he hadn't a ghost of a chance, he hadn't an earthly. The very idea of such a thing was preposterous. So preposterous that he'd perfectly understand it if her father—well, whatever her father chose to do he'd perfectly understand. In fact, nothing short of desperation, nothing short of the fact that this was positively his last day in England for God knows how long, would have screwed him up to it. And even now . . . He chose a tie out of the chest of drawers, a blue and cream check tie, and sat on the side of his bed. Supposing she replied, "What impertinence!” would he be surprised? Not in the least, he decided, turning up his soft collar and turning it down over the tie. He expected her to say something like that. He didn't see, if he looked at the affair dead soberly, what else she could say.

Based on the text, which prediction is most valid?

The man will decide to stay in England.
The man will ask a woman to marry him.
The man will decide to wear something more casual.
The man will talk himself out of speaking to the father.

Answer 1

b

Step-by-step explanation:

got it right

Answer 2

Based on the text, the prediction that is most valid would be The man will ask a woman to marry him.

Step-by-step explanation:

From the excerpt, the man is pessimistic about something and he admits to himself that he does not have a "ghost of a chance" of succeeding and that the very idea was "preposterous" that he would totally understand if the woman's father would object.

He believes his act was one of "desperation" because this was his "last day in England" and the final clue given that he was about to ask a woman to marry him was that he talked about having an existing "affair" with the lady.