Question

Read the excerpt from Their Eyes Were Watching God. Tea Cake felt sorry for him without knowing why. So he didn’t blurt out the insults he had intended. But he couldn’t hold in everything. They talked about the prospects for the coming season for a moment, then Tea Cake said, “Yo’ wife don’t seem tuh have nothin’ much tuh do, so she kin visit uh lot. Mine got too much tuh do tuh go visitin’ and too much tuh spend time talkin’ tuh folks dat visit her.” Which best describes Tea Cake’s intent in mentioning Janie and Mrs. Turner to Mr. Turner? He hopes Mr. Turner can influence Mrs. Turner to visit less frequently. He wants Mr. Turner to encourage Mrs. Turner to find fulfilling activities. He wants to show Mr. Turner that Janie works harder than Mrs. Turner. He hopes to encourage Mr. Turner to visit him along with Mrs. Turner.

Answer 1

The answer on the test is "He hopes Mr. Turner can influence Mrs. Turner to visit less frequently."

Answer 2

Tea Cake mentioned Janie and Mrs Turner to Mr. Turner because he wants Mr. Turner to encourage Mrs. Turner to find fulfilling activities. From the given passage, it can be seen that Mrs. Turner has a lot of time in her hands as she usually spend it by visiting and gossiping with other women. Tea Cake compared his busy wife to Mrs.Turner so that Mr.Turner will see the need to get his wife engage in fulfilling activities that are better than gossiping and unsolicited visiting.