Question

She soon put that thought out of her mind and ________.

• A. smiled
• B. laughed heartily
• C. cried bitterly
• D. became silent

Hint:

In “My Mother at Sixty-Six,” the poet smiles to hide her fear and reassure her ageing mother.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

This question is based on the poem “My Mother at Sixty-Six” by Kamala Das. The poet observes her ageing mother and feels a deep fear of losing her.
Step 1: Understand the context.
The poet feels sadness when she sees her mother’s pale and ageing face. However, she tries to suppress her fear and sadness.
Step 2: Analyze the options.
(A) smiled: This is correct because the poet hides her pain and smiles to reassure her mother.
(B) laughed heartily: This is not mentioned in the poem.
(C) cried bitterly: The poet does not openly cry in front of her mother.
(D) became silent: Though she is emotionally affected, she finally chooses to smile.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Since the poet hides her emotions and smiles, the correct answer is (A).
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{(A) \, \text{smiled}} \]