The following text is from Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale. Mr. Verloc is navigating the London streets on his way to a meeting.
Before reaching Knightsbridge, Mr. Verloc took a turn to the left out of the busy main thoroughfare, uproarious with the traffic of swaying omnibuses and trotting vans, in the almost silent, swift flow of hansoms [horse-drawn carriages]. Under his hat, worn with a slight backward tilt, his hair had been carefully brushed into respectful sleekness; for his business was with an Embassy. And Mr. Verloc, steady like a rock—a soft kind of rock—marched now along a street which could with every propriety be described as private.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined phrase in the text as a whole?
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Choice A is the best answer. The underline phrase qualifies (meaning adds limits or conditions to) the description of Mr. Verloc as “steady like a rock,” adding that he is a “soft” rock.
Choice B is incorrect. In fact, the passage never mentions Mr. Verloc experiencing any internal struggles. Choice C is incorrect. The underlined phrase doesn’t contrast Mr. Verloc with his surroundings, but is instead modifying the description of him as a rock. Choice D is incorrect. The underlined phrase doesn’t reveal a private opinion Mr. Verloc holds: instead, it further describes his character for the reader.
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