This question is missing the options. I've found the complete question online. It is the following:
Read the sentence below and answer the following question:
BUT HE ANSWERED NOT A WORD; like the last column of some ruined temple, he remained standing mute and solitary in the middle of the otherwise deserted room. —Herman Melville, "Bartleby the Scrivener"
In the bolded section, how does the addition of "not a word" change the impact of this introductory clause?
A. It emphasizes the lack of response: no answer was given at all.
B. It emphasizes the reference to solitary later in the sentence: "standing mute and solitary."
C. It suggests the narrator needed something: even a non-verbal response would have worked.
D. It suggests the feeling of isolation the narrator feels: the room is deserted.
Answer:
The addition of "not a word" changes the impact of the introductory clause because:
A. It emphasizes the lack of response: no answer was given at all.
Explanation:
Notice that the question wants us to focus on the introductory clause. This clause starts with "But he answered," which begins in an affirmative way. This sort of tricks the reader into thinking an answer was given. When the author adds "not a word," we suddenly have a negative sentence. This abrupt change from positive to negative emphasizes the lack of response. It is more powerful than simply writing, "But he didn't answer." We now feel the full of impact of the character not saying single word.
