Mr. Parker Fiction By Laurie Colwin: Quiz!

Mr. Parker touches Jane's shoulders because he is delighted by her fine piano playing. This suggests that he is expressing his appreciation and admiration for her musical talent.

Jane lies to her mother about the kitten's name because she wants to appear to know little about Mr. Parker.

Jane diligently practices the Three-Part Invention because it may be the last thing Mr. Parker teaches her. This suggests that Jane is aware that Mr. Parker may not continue teaching her for some reason, and she wants to make the most of her remaining time with him. It implies that she values Mr. Parker's teachings and wants to learn as much as she can before their lessons come to an end.

The term "neuter" refers to a gender-neutral or androgynous appearance. In this context, the baby's face did not possess distinct male or female characteristics, making it difficult to determine the gender. Therefore, the correct answer is "neuter."

Jane's attitude toward Mr. Parker at the end of the story is characterized by feeling tense and self-conscious around him.

The word "arch" can be used as an adjective to describe someone who speaks or behaves in a sarcastic or mocking manner. In this context, Jane's mother's sarcastic remarks about Mr. Parker upset her. Therefore, "arch" is the correct answer as it accurately describes the sarcastic nature of the remarks.

Based on the information provided, we can infer that Jane's mood at the end of the story is ambivalent. This means that she has mixed feelings or is unsure about her emotions. The other options, such as delighted, outraged, and indignant, do not accurately describe Jane's mood as they suggest a more extreme or one-sided emotional state.

Jane's mother believed that Jane's naive view of the situation was myopic. This suggests that Jane's mother thought that Jane's perspective was narrow and lacking in foresight. The word "myopic" means to have a limited or narrow view, often disregarding potential consequences or long-term effects. Therefore, Jane's mother believed that Jane was not considering the bigger picture and was only focusing on immediate or short-term aspects of the situation.

Mr. Parker has a larger repertoire than Mrs. Murchison, meaning he is capable of teaching a greater variety of songs. This suggests that Mr. Parker has a wider range of knowledge and skills in music compared to Mrs. Murchison. He may have experience in different genres or styles of music, allowing him to offer a more diverse selection of songs for teaching purposes.

Jane believed that changing to Mrs. Murchison would result in a grievous mistake or a severe and harmful consequence.