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AP English Literature and Composition 1.6 Passage Drill 7 193 Views


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AP English Literature and Composition 1.6 Passage Drill 7. What is the function of the parenthetical phrase in lines 42 through 43?

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English Language

Transcript

00:04

Here's your shmoop du jour...

00:06

You're probably getting that itch to hit the pause button again, so you can review the

00:09

passage, huh? Yeah, we're basically mind-readers.

00:33

What is the function of the parenthetical phrase in lines 42 through 43?

00:38

And here are the potential answers...

00:44

Okay, so this question wants us to look at the parenthetical phrase in lines 42 through 43:

00:50

That's the stuff between the parentheses.

00:53

and determine why it's there.

00:55

Other than, you know, to meet Dickens' desired word count. He must have had his publisher

00:59

breathing down his neck...

01:02

Here are lines 42 through 43:

01:04

"As the deceased had taken no further notice of his nephew in his lifetime, than sending

01:09

to his eldest boy (who had been christened after him, on desperate speculation) a silver

01:16

spoon in a morocco case."

01:18

So, what are we talking about here?

01:20

"Christened after him," meaning that his eldest boy was named after him.

01:25

"On desperate speculation"

01:28

Well, speculation can mean a few different things, but in this case we're talking about monetary speculation.

01:36

In other words, the boy was named after a wealthy relative in hopes that relative would

01:41

appreciate the gesture so much, that he might throw a few hundred pounds their way.

01:51

Okay, now which answer choice says as much?

01:54

The silver spoon is nice, but doesn't do you much good if you have nothing to put on it.

01:59

So B is no good.

02:00

The Nickleby's might be poor, but that isn't what this parenthetical is about, so we can nix C.

02:06

There's no mention of silver, so D is an easy out,

02:09

nor of Ralph Nickleby's generous nature. E is out, as well.

02:13

Which leaves A: "to emphasize the gamble Mr. and Mrs. Nickleby took in naming their child."

02:19

Well, sure. They named him purely on the off-chance that Uncle Moneybags would feel so honored

02:24

he'd start emptying his money bags.

02:31

Probably not the best reason for settling on a baby name. Although, if there are any

02:35

Shmoop Smiths being born out there, we'd be mighty flattered.

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