Step 1: Understanding the context.
The sentence shows Halku's condition while struggling with poverty. His head lowering step by step shows the weight and suffering caused by poverty. This naturally refers to the "burden" of poverty.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
(A) burden: Correct — The phrase "burden of poverty" is the right collocation here.
(B) table: Incorrect — "table of poverty" is meaningless.
(C) hut: Incorrect — A hut does not signify poverty's weight.
(D) life: Incorrect — "life of poverty" could be a phrase, but here the sentence structure requires the word "burden."
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (A) burden.