1. they appeared to me denizens of a brilliant existence. (“the bass, the river, and sheila mant")

actors
environmentalists
deserters
inhabitants

2. failing that, i could have surreptitiously dumped the whole outfit overboard, written off the forty or so dollars as love’s tribute. (“the bass, the river, and sheila mant")

happily
slyly
enthusiastically
sorrowfully

3. but since he had called our names at the beginning of the service we were mollified. (from i know why the caged bird sings)

baffled
alerted
calmed
upset

4. we were maids and farmers, handymen and washerwomen, and anything higher that we aspired to was farcical and presumptuous. (from i know why the caged bird sings)

puzzling
too bold
silly
pitiful

5. the ugliness they left was palpable. (from i know why the caged bird sings)

able to be felt
strange
hurtful
imagined

1. Denizens means inhabitants

2. Surreptitiously means slyly

3. Mollified means calmed

4. Presumptuous means too bold

5. Palpable means able to be felt

6. Sullenly means sulkily

7. Precariously means insecurely

8. Solder means mend

9. Bleak means hopeless

10. Lithe means graceful

11. report is a common noun

12. St. Louis is a proper noun

13. he is a third - person pronoun

14. reassuring is an adjective

15. Scientific is an adjective

16. strongly is an adverb

17. sometimes is an adverb

18. never is an adverb

19. my is an interjection in My, what a beautiful suit you are wearing!

20. boy is an interjection in "Boy, is it hot in this room!" Jake complained.

he is suggesting that this widow is a strong woman, who is giving constructive criticism and she has enough to worry about, and she takes care of him, so he does not take it to heart.

which statement best expresses the theme of this short story the value of being confused