Read the passage given below to answer the next five questions by choosing the correct options:
Maggie soon thought she had been hours in the attic, and it must be tea-time, and they were all having their tea, and not thinking of her. Well, then, she would stay up there and starve herself - hide herself behind the tub, and stay there all night; and then they would all be frightened, and Tom would be sorry. Thus Maggie thought in the pride on her heart, as she crept behind the tub; but presently she began to cry again at the idea that they didn't mind her being there. If she went down again to Tom now - would he forgive her? Perhaps her father would be there and he would take her part. But, then, she wanted Tom to forgive her because he loved her, not because his father told him. No, she would never go down if Tom didn't come to fetch her. This resolution lasted in great intensity for five dark minutes behind the tub; but then the need of being loved, the strongest need in poor Maggie's nature, began to wrestle with her pride, and soon over threw it. She crept from behind her tub into the twilight of the long attic, but just then she heard a quick footstep on the stairs.
In the end Maggie decided to
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → give up her pride and go down
Her resolution lasts only "for five dark minutes"; then the need of being loved "began to wrestle with her pride, and soon over threw it". She "crept from behind her tub" into the attic, ready to go down, just as she hears a quick footstep on the stairs.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: keep hiding herself — Incorrect. Contradicted: she comes out of her hiding place at the end.
Option 2: stay behind the tub — Incorrect. Wrong time: that was her first plan; in the end she creeps from behind the tub.
Option 3: stay in the attic — Incorrect. Contradicted: her resolve never to go down is overthrown by her need to be loved.