Question

Read the following passage and answer the question.

"I'm not sleepy," said Rainsford. "I'm going to smoke another pipe on the afterdeck."
…
Rainsford, reclining in a steamer chair, indolently puffed on his favorite brier. The sensuous drowsiness of the night was on him.

In the previous passage, which words give us a clue as to what indolently means?
A. steamer chair
B. another pipe
C. favorite brier
D. sensuous drowsiness

Answer 1

D, sensuous drowsiness. Indolently is being used to describe how he puffed. Steamer chair, another pipe, and favourite brier are all nouns, not descriptions so offer no insight.

Answer 2

The answer is D: sensuous drowsiness. The picture in the passage is of Rainsford denying that he is sleepy and intends to smoke another pipe. When he is on the afterdeck, that reclining chair invites him to just relax, no effort is required to enjoy his favorite brier, indolently. It felt so at ease and pleasantly to get caught by this drowsiness of the night.