Question

Read this excerpt from "A Cub Pilot" from Mark Twain's memoir, Life on the Mississippi.

I began to climb the wheel like a squirrel, but I would hardly get the boat started to port before I would see new dangers on that side, and away I would spin to the other, only to find perils accumulating to starboard and be crazy to get to port again. Then came the leadsman's sepulchral cry:

"D-e-e-p four!"

Deep four in a bottomless crossing! The terror of it took my breath away.

Which line from the excerpt best supports the idea that Twain is panicked?


"'D-e-e-p four!'"


"...I would hardly get the boat started to port before I would see new dangers on that side..."


"Then came the leadsman's sepulchral cry:"


"Deep four in a bottomless crossing!"

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is "Then came the leadsman's sepulchral cry."

Explanation:

Twain began to feel danger where there was none, because Mr. Bixby made him nervous, which it was what he wanted to achieve.

All the confidence he had had until that moment vanished, and as soon as he heard the shouts of the leadsman in a "sepulchral" way was when he felt panic.

Answer 2

Answer:

"...I would hardly get the boat started to port before I would see new dangers on that side..."

Explanation:

I took the test