Reread paragraph 5 of the story. Then answer the multiple-choice questions that follow.
From “The Refusal” by Franz Kafka
5 Yet while he lives among us without laying too much stress on his official position, he is something quite different from the ordinary citizen. When a delegation comes to him with a request, he stands there like the wall of the world. Behind him is nothingness, one imagines hearing voices whispering in the background, but this is probably a delusion; after all, he represents the end of all things, at least for us. At these receptions he really was worth seeing. Once as a child I was present when a delegation of citizens arrived to ask him for a government subsidy because the poorest quarter of the town had been burned to the ground. . . . As on all solemn occasions the colonel stood upright, holding in front of him two poles of bamboo in his outstretched hands. This is an ancient custom implying more or less that he supports the law, and the law supports him. Now everyone knows, of course, what to expect up on the veranda, and yet each time people take fright all over again. On this occasion, too, the man chosen to speak could not begin, he was already standing opposite the colonel when his courage failed him and, muttering a few excuses, he pushed his way back into the crowd. No other suitable person willing to speak could be found, albeit several unsuitable ones offered themselves; a great commotion ensued and messengers went in search of various citizens who were well-known speakers. During all this time the colonel stood there motionless, only his chest moving visibly up and down to his breathing. Not that he breathed with difficulty, it was just that he breathed so conspicuously, much as frogs breathe—except that with them it is normal, while here it was exceptional. I squeezed myself through the grownups and watched him through a gap between two soldiers, until one of them kicked me away with his knee. Meanwhile the man originally chosen to speak had regained his composure and, firmly held up by two fellow citizens, was delivering his address. It was touching to see him smile throughout this solemn speech describing a grievous misfortune—a most humble smile which strove in vain to elicit some slight reaction on the colonel’s face. Finally he formulated the request—I think he was only asking for a year’s tax exemption, but possibly also for timber from the imperial forests at a reduced price. Then he bowed low, as did everyone else except the colonel, the soldiers, and a number of officials in the background. . . . After this had lasted quite a while an official, a little man, stepped up to the colonel and tried to reach the latter’s height by standing on his toes. The colonel, still motionless save for his deep breathing, whispered something in his ear, whereupon the little man clapped his hands and everyone rose. “The petition has been refused,” he announced. “You may go.” An undeniable sense of relief passed through the crowd, everyone surged out, hardly a soul paying any special attention to the colonel, who, as it were, had turned once more into a human being like the rest of us. I still caught one last glimpse of him as he wearily let go of the poles, which fell to the ground, then sank into an armchair produced by some officials, and promptly put his pipe in his mouth.
The narrator’s description of the colonel during the reception leads the reader to conclude that—
Answer choices for the above question
A. the colonel is considered to be an ordinary citizen.
B. the colonel is openly disrespected by the townspeople.
C. the colonel worries about losing his position as tax-collector.
D. the colonel inspires great fear among the townspeople.
The crowd’s reaction to the colonel’s refusal reveals that in this society—
Answer choices for the above question
A. the people feel dissatisfied with their government and plan to revolt.
B. the people are glad that nothing has happened to upset their traditions.
C. the people recognize that the colonel is a human being just as they are.
D. the people understand that the colonel is a powerless figurehead.
