This question is missing the excerpt. I've found the complete question online. It is as follows:
The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
Which statement best explains the effect of the word "firmly” in this excerpt?
A. It directs the reader’s attention back to the squat pen.
B. It suggests that the spade is too heavy for the father.
C. It emphasizes the speaker’s distaste for hard work.
D. It shows that the father works with skill and control.
Answer:
The word firmly is best explained by:
D. It shows that the father works with skill and control.
Explanation:
This excerpt is from the poem "Digging" by Seamus Heaney. The speaker of the poem is describing how skilled his father and grandfather are when it comes to digging, to working the soil to grow potatoes. They do it deftly, with precise movements, as the excerpt shows: <em>the shaft Against the inside knee was levered firmly</em>. The purpose of the adverb "firmly" here is to cause in readers this impression of ability, of competence. The father's movements are powerful and accurate.
