The passage highlights Derry's extreme sensitivity to how people treat him in public. He describes a woman passing by a bus stop who looked at his face and chose to whisper a harsh critique to her companion: "Look at that, that's a terrible thing. That's a face only a mother could love." Because she whispered, her cruelty was covert rather than out in the open. However, because it was loud enough for him to hear, it showed a complete disregard for his emotional well-being. This aligns perfectly with option B.

The comment Derry overhears directly attacks his self-esteem. The idiom "a face only a mother could love" implies that his features are so deeply scarred that normal human affection is impossible, and only a mother's duty could overcome the sight. Overhearing this reinforces Derry's toxic belief that his face is trapped in a state of permanent, unredeemable ugliness, making option C the correct answer.

Derry clarifies his backstory during his first conversation with Mr. Lamb. He starts by correcting the old man's assumption, explaining that his injury did not happen in a fire (2). He follows up immediately by naming the actual cause: "I got acid all down that side" (4). Next, he describes how the chemical destroyed his skin tissue: "It ate my face up" (3). Finally, he highlights the psychological damage the trauma caused: "It ate me up" (1). This creates the logical sequence 2-4-3-1, matching option D.

Derry confesses to Mr. Lamb that he suffers from an intense fear of his own reflection: "When I look in the mirror, and see it, I'm afraid of me." The mirror forces him to face his permanent scars, which triggers his deepest fears of societal rejection, vulnerability, and low self-worth. These feelings are the core of his personal insecurities, making option A the correct answer.

Each fear in the list drives a specific behavior described in the play. Derry's fear of his own altered appearance causes him to avoid looking into mirrors (1-b). The story of the paranoid man shows how an extreme fear of the outside world can drive someone to lock themselves inside their bedroom permanently (2-d). Derry's sensitivity to hidden social judgment causes him to run away when he hears people whispering at the bus stop (3-a). Finally, his hatred for patronizing sympathy makes him reject the condescending "poor boy" label (4-c). This matches option B.

Derry interacts with Mr. Lamb using an angry, challenging tone. He refuses to accept easy comfort, fairy tales, or patronizing social expectations. His attitude is defined by an active resistance to the world's well-meaning advice. Among the choices provided, "rebellious" serves as the best synonym, capturing his fierce, defensive desire to push back against standard social views, confirming option B.

Derry's physical struggle is rooted in the fact that his disfigurement is permanent. He notes with despair: "And now it's like this and it won't ever be any different." The direct opposite of a life-long, unchangeable condition is one that lasts for only a short period and can be reversed. "Temporary" describes this brief, changing state, making option C the correct antonym.

When Derry describes his accident by saying, "It ate my face up. It ate me up," he is using the verb to describe the chemical action of acid on human skin tissue. The liquid did not swallow him like food. Instead, it acted as a highly corrosive chemical that burned, scarred, and permanently destroyed his features. This matches the definition provided in option D.

These phrasal verbs outline the social tensions explored throughout the play. "Look down on" describes how arrogant people look down on individuals with visible physical disabilities (1-d). "Shut out" represents Derry's habit of using garden walls and locked doors to isolate himself from society (2-a). "Put down" matches the cruel comments and whispers he hears from insensitive strangers (3-c). Finally, "Give up" captures Derry's initial sense of despair, where he stops trying to build social connections (4-b). This aligns with option A.

Derry's habits are driven by a strong desire to stay away from human contact. He explicitly states that he came to Mr. Lamb's garden because he thought it was completely empty and abandoned. If he had to choose between a crowded room full of staring strangers and an empty, isolated weed garden, his desire to escape would drive him to choose the quiet garden (Option C), as it offers safety from public judgment.

Derry's social isolation is complete. He admits openly that he dislikes being near crowds and confesses to harboring deep bitterness: "There are some people I hate." He believes that everyone stares at his face with hidden fear or disgust. He does not hang out with the neighborhood children, nor does he join them when they visit to collect fruit. Therefore, statement D is factually incorrect, making it the correct choice for this question.

Assertion (A) is completely false because Derry's negative mindset makes him deeply pessimistic, bitter, and anxious about his future interactions. He expects nothing but rejection from the world. Reason (R) is true because it captures his hopeless view of affection, quoting his comment that no one will ever kiss him except his mother, and she only does so on the undamaged side of his face. Since A is false and R is true, option D is the correct choice.

Derry explains to Mr. Lamb how much he dislikes standard social comfort. People often tell him to be brave and think of individuals who are blind, deaf, or confined to wheelchairs. This approach is intended as an expression of sympathy (Option A), meant to help him feel better about his condition. However, Derry rejects this pity completely, arguing that other people's suffering does not make his own scars any less painful, making option A the correct choice.

Derry explains the bus stop incident to show why he feels so uncomfortable around strangers. He structures the memory step-by-step: first, a woman walked past him while he was waiting (3). Next, he notes that she wasn't alone; she was walking with another woman (2). He then describes her reaction as she looked at his face and whispered a cruel comment to her companion (1). Finally, he notes that despite her low voice, he caught every word: "Only I heard her" (4). This sets the correct chronological sequence as 3-2-1-4, matching option B.

Derry's choice to stay away from public spaces and avoid human contact is a core part of his character. He avoids conversations, hides in abandoned spaces, and keeps his feelings locked inside. The term "introverted" serves as a direct synonym for this reserved, quiet behavior, describing a person who draws energy from solitary environments rather than social groups, confirming option C.

Each element in the list represents a physical barrier or an escape method from the text. Derry explicitly seeks out an "empty place" to find a quiet space away from human contact (1-c). He enters the orchard by climbing "over the wall" to avoid using the main front entrance (2-d). The phrase "lock the door" refers to the paranoid man who chose to seal himself inside his room out of fear (3-a). Finally, "curtains" represent the window barriers that Mr. Lamb dislikes because they block out nature (4-b). This matches option A.

Derry's mother uses the phrase "people fuss" to describe how neighbors and strangers react to her son's disfigurement. She is referring to the awkward glances, over-polite behavior, and anxious whispers that follow him around. This excessive, uncomfortable attention comes from anxiety and worry rather than malice. Therefore, "worry excessively over someone" serves as the correct contextual meaning, making option B the correct choice.

Derry's mother demonstrates a highly restrictive form of care, isolating her son at home to shield him from public whispers. This extreme level of care represents overprotection. The exact opposite of keeping someone overly safe is providing no care, attention, or protection at all. "Neglect" describes this complete absence of care, making option C the correct antonym.

During his argument with his mother, Derry realizes that returning to Mr. Lamb's garden is essential for his growth. He understands that if he obeys her and stays safe inside their house, he will lose his chance at independence. He states clearly that if he doesn't return to keep his promise, his fears will trap him forever: "If I don't go back there, I'll never go anywhere in this world again." This makes option D the correct choice.

Assertion (A) is false because Derry finds his mother's protective advice unhelpful and restrictive, choosing to reject it in his search for independence. Reason (R) is also false because the climax of the play shows him breaking free from his isolation. He runs three miles back to the orchard to look at the world and listen to the wind. Because both claims are completely incorrect, option A is the correct choice.