Question

In Hard Times by Charles Dickens, Mr. Gradgrind’s name can be interpreted in several ways. The selection supports all of the following interpretations except _____.
1he grinds his teeth together, suggesting his intolerance for fantasy
2he grinds out graduates who are similar to each other as if he were running a factory
3he grinds down children by crushing their imaginations
4he grinds the importance of facts into students’ heads

Answer 1

he grinds his teeth together, suggesting his intolerance for fantasy

Answer 2

Answer: He grinds out graduates who are similar to each other as if he were running a factory.

Explanation:

Mr. Thomas Gradgrind is the notorious school board Superintendent in Dickens's novel Hard Times. He is committed to the pursuit of a profitable business. The use of Gradgrind as a surname follows Dickens' habit of representing people from the merchant class as grasping and selfish, dedicated to grinding down workers without fair compensation or any clemency.

His name is used commonly to describe people who are hard and exclusive concerned with facts and numbers.