'How are you today?' I asked.
'Oh! much better,' she replied and immediately changed the subject.
Mostly she liked to talk about her pets and the ones she had known right back to her girlhood. She spoke a lot too, about the days her family was alive. She loved to describe the escapades of her three brothers and today she showed me a photograph which Mrs. Broadwith had found.
'Oh, they were young rips!' she exclaimed. She laughed and for a moment her face was radiant, by her memories.
The things I had heard in the village came back to me; about the prosperous father and his family who lived in the big house once. Then the foreign investments crashed and the sudden change in circumstances. 'When the old father died, he was almost penniless, one old man said. "There is not much brass there now."
Probably just enough brass to keep Miss Stubbs and her animals alive and pay Mrs. Broadwith. And, sitting there, I felt as I had often a bit afraid of the responsibility I had. The one thing which brought some light into the life of the brave old woman was the devotion of this shaggy bunch whose eyes were never far from her face.
'There's not much brass there now' the underlined word refers to:
Understanding Vocabulary Context: The Word 'Brass'
This question asks us to determine the meaning of the word 'brass' as used in the provided text. We need to carefully examine the context in which the word appears to understand its intended meaning.
Contextual Analysis of 'Brass'
The text mentions a conversation about a family who once lived in a big house. It states that their father "was almost penniless" after foreign investments crashed. Following this, an old man remarks, "There is not much brass there now." Later, the narrator reflects, "Probably just enough brass to keep Miss Stubbs and her animals alive and pay Mrs. Broadwith."
The phrase "not much brass there now" directly follows the description of the father being "almost penniless." This suggests that 'brass' is being used metaphorically to refer to the family's financial condition or assets.
Furthermore, the statement "just enough brass to keep Miss Stubbs and her animals alive" reinforces this interpretation. It implies a limited amount of financial resources available for basic necessities like sustenance and payment.
Evaluating the Options
Let's look at the given options:
- 1. brass ware: While 'brass' is a metal used to make various objects (brass ware), the context of being "penniless" and needing funds for survival doesn't align with referring to decorative metal items. The amount needed is for living expenses, not for possessions.
- 2. musical instruments: Brass is used for musical instruments, but similar to 'brass ware', the context doesn't support this meaning. Having "just enough" funds for survival relates to money, not specifically musical instruments.
- 3. money: This meaning fits the context perfectly. Being "penniless" means having no money, and needing "just enough brass" means needing sufficient funds to cover basic living costs. This is a common colloquial or older usage where 'brass' can refer to money or wealth.
- 4. metal: While 'brass' is indeed a metal, this option is too general. The specific implication in the context is not just the substance but its value, which relates to wealth or currency. The phrase refers to the *value* or *funds*, not just the material itself.
Conclusion
Based on the contextual clues, particularly the association with being "penniless" and the need to cover living expenses, the word 'brass' in this passage clearly refers to money or financial wealth.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
