Read the given passage and answer the four questions that follow:
One afternoon in late June, as the sun shone warmly into the large courtyard, a very elegant Victoria, drawn by two sleek black horses, stopped in front of the mansion. The Countess descended the steps just as her husband, returning home, appeared at the carriage entrance.
The Count paused, his face turning slightly pale as he observed his wife. She was strikingly beautiful, with her long oval face, an ivory-like complexion, large gray eyes, and jet-black hair. Her graceful and aristocratic demeanour only heightened her appeal. Without sparing him a glance or acknowledging his presence, she entered the carriage with a high-bred air that rekindled the burning jealousy which had long consumed him.
Approaching her, he asked in a measured tone, "You are going for a drive?"
She responded coldly, "You see I am."
"May I join you?" he ventured, attempting to mask his unease.
"The carriage belongs to you," she replied disdainfully, her tone cutting and dismissive.
Without reacting to her hostility, he climbed in and gave the order: "To the Boulogne Woods" The footman took his place beside the coachman, and the spirited horses pranced onto the street. Husband and wife sat stiffly side by side in silence, the tension between them palpable. He hesitated, seeking a way to begin a conversation, but her resolute, icy demeanour held him back.
Finally, as if by accident, his gloved hand brushed hers. She recoiled sharply, her gesture laden with unmistakable disgust. He remained thoughtful, in spite of his usual authoritative and despotic character, and finally said: "Gabrielle!"
What characteristic of the Countess reignited the count's jealousy?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → her elegance and aristocratic demeanour
The passage describes the Countess's beauty and her graceful and aristocratic demeanour (manner and bearing of a person of high birth), and then says she entered the carriage with a high-bred air that rekindled the burning jealousy of the Count. Her elegant, aristocratic bearing is what stirred his jealousy again.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: her dismissive response to his question — Incorrect. Wrong cause: her cold reply comes after the jealousy had already been rekindled; the passage links the jealousy to her high-bred air, not to her answer.
Option 3: her choice of the Bois de Boulogne as the destination — Incorrect. Contradicted: it is the Count who gives the order "To the Boulogne Woods"; the destination is not her choice and plays no part in his jealousy.
Option 4: her sharp tone when speaking to the coachman. — Incorrect. Contradicted: the Countess does not speak to the coachman at all; her sharp words are addressed to her husband.