"I'd like to go to India myself," said the old man, "just to look round a bit, you know." "Better where you are," said the serge
ant-major, shaking his head. He put down the empty glass, and sighing softly, shook it again. Which question would the reader ask to gain understanding from this conversation?
A. Would Mrs. White allow Mr. White to go to India?
B. Why does Morris shake his head at the thought of India?
C. Why does Mr. White want to go to India after all these years?
D. Where has Morris been in India to make him not want to go back?
Because of the way Morris behaves, it generates curiosity in the reader to know what has happened to him.
With the phrase "<em>He put down the empty glass, and sighing softly, shook it again" </em>, it looks like he is remembering something not so pleasant. And the fact he doesn't want to give many explanations about it, leaves a greater doubt in the reader.
The, the question the reader would ask to gain understanding from that conversation is "<em>Where has Morris been in India to make him not want to go back?"</em>
