Practice free →
HomeSATenglishcraftandstructure › Read the passage: **Jay Gatsby was balancing him…

Read the passage: **Jay Gatsby was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American — that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This QUALITY was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness.** As used in the text, the word 'quality' most nearly means:

APrestige
BStandard
CAccomplishment
DCharacteristic
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Characteristic
In context, 'quality' refers to Gatsby's particular trait or attribute — his 'resourcefulness of movement' that manifests as restlessness. 'Characteristic' captures this best. 'Standard' implies a fixed benchmark; 'prestige' and 'accomplishment' don't fit the passage.
Solve this in the app — SAT practice & 24k+ MCQs →
Related questions