D. The repetition and connotations of words emphasizes that slaveholders were merciless.
I am guessing that the underlined modifier is "quickly" which is why the third sentence is correct.
"quickly" is the positive form.
"more quickly" is the comparative form
"most quickly" is the superlative form
Beah and his companions experience hunger and thirst the likes of which none of them had encountered before. They scavenge abandoned farms and even stooped to assaulting a little boy who had two boiled ears of corn to himself. The boy’s parents, rather than confronting the young men, instead give them each an ear of corn; Beah assumes pity saved them from punishment. Beah feels guilty about their pillage, but accepts that they had no other option.