19 They went back up the road. A week ago—or before last night, that is—he would have asked where 20 they were going, but not now. His father had struck him before last night but never before had he paused

afterward to explain why; it was as if the blow and the following calm, outrageous voice still rang,

21 repercussed, divulging nothing to him save the terrible handicap of being young, the light weight of his

22 few years, just heavy enough to prevent his soaring free of the world as it seemed to be ordered but

23 not heavy enough to keep him footed solid in it, to resist it and try to change the course of

24 its events.

1. The last paragraph(19-24) contains an example of
A. hyperbole.
B. simile.
C. alliteration.
D. none of the above

2. The last paragraph describes the boy's
A. patience.
B. maturity.
C. innocence.
D. stubbornness.