Explanation: the denotation of a word is its literal meaning, the definition that we can find in a dictionary, a word can have several denotations (or definitions). An aphorism is a short clever saying that is intended to express a general truth. From the given options, the one that expresses the correct denotation of the word "aphorism" is the corresponding to option C: a short saying with a message.
Answer:He feels suprised because he thought that she would have still been at the house. He also feels sad because he had known her when he was small and would visit with his mother.
