Select the correct text in the passage. Which two parts of this excerpt from W. W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw" show that the Whi

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Select the correct text in the passage. Which two parts of this excerpt from W. W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw" show that the Whi

te family does not believe in the talisman's power? The other shook his head and examined his possession closely. "How do you do it?" he inquired. "Hold it up in your right hand, and wish aloud," said the Sergeant-Major, "But I warn you of the consequences." "Sounds like the 'Arabian Nights,'" said Mrs. White, as she rose and began to set the supper. "Don't you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me." Her husband drew the talisman from his pocket, and all three burst into laughter as the Sergeant-Major, with a look of alarm on his face, caught him by the arm. "If you must wish," he said gruffly, "Wish for something sensible." Mr. White dropped it back in his pocket, and placing chairs, motioned his friend to the table. In the business of supper the talisman was partly forgotten, and afterward the three sat listening in an enthralled fashion to a second installment of the soldier's adventures in India.

English

2 answers:

ddd [7.4K] · Answer 1 · 2026-02-23T03:14:24+03:00

This excerpt from W. W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw" indicates the White family's skepticism toward the talisman's power through the following parts:

"Sounds like the 'Arabian Nights,'" Mrs. White remarked as she stood to set the table.

The 'Arabian Nights' constitutes stories crafted by Scheherazade, narrated to the King for over 1001 nights to delay her death, implying Mrs. White regards this tale as fictional.

and

"Don't you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me?" Her husband pulled out the talisman, prompting laughter from all three.

Mr. White's sarcastic comment about wishing for an impractical quantity of hands demonstrates his disbelief in the talisman's wish-granting abilities. Ultimately, their reaction reveals they lack seriousness about the talisman and its purported powers.

Naddik [7.5K] · Answer 2 · 2026-02-23T03:16:11+03:00

Answer:

The two portions of the passage that illustrate the White family’s disbelief in the talisman’s abilities are:

"But I warn you of the consequences." "Sounds like the 'Arabian Nights,'" Mrs. White said as she got up to prepare supper.

And

"Don't you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me?" Her husband took out the talisman, causing all three to laugh, while the Sergeant-Major displayed concern.

Explanation:

In the first instance, Mrs. White dismisses the Sergeant's warning regarding the Monkey’s Paw, comparing it to a fictional story from the Arabian Nights.

In the second example, the family jested about potential wishes, treating the Sergeant-Major's alarm as trivial, signaling a lack of seriousness about the talisman's nature.