Having spent her dollar for groceries, Ma borrowed how much money from the store clerk to buy sugar for Tom's coffee?

Having spent her dollar for groceries, Ma borrowed how much money from the store clerk to buy sugar for Tom's coffee?

• A. A nickel
• B. A dime
• C. A quarter
• D. A dollar

Answer: (B)

This question tests recall of a specific detail from a scene: how much Ma borrows after spending her dollar on groceries. In that moment, she needs only a small amount to buy sugar for Tom’s coffee, and the text describes it as ten cents, a dime. That exact amount fits the Depression-era setting and Ma’s frugal posture—small change used for a small urgent need. A nickel (five cents) would be short for buying sugar; a quarter (twenty-five cents) would be more than what the scene indicates she borrows; and a dollar would be impossible since she had just spent her dollar on groceries.

This question tests recall of a specific detail from a scene: how much Ma borrows after spending her dollar on groceries. In that moment, she needs only a small amount to buy sugar for Tom’s coffee, and the text describes it as ten cents, a dime. That exact amount fits the Depression-era setting and Ma’s frugal posture—small change used for a small urgent need.

A nickel (five cents) would be short for buying sugar; a quarter (twenty-five cents) would be more than what the scene indicates she borrows; and a dollar would be impossible since she had just spent her dollar on groceries.