Why does the writer say that the old lady's basket had grown heavier with every step?

NVS Staff Nurse - 2022

English

Medium

Appeared in: NVS Staff Nurse - 2022

Explanation

The phrase is a figurative expression describing the subjective sensation of fatigue.
As a person gets tired, the perceived effort to carry a constant weight increases, making the object feel heavier.
The term "with every step" highlights a gradual and continuous process, which is characteristic of developing fatigue, not of adding items to a basket.
This interpretation focuses on the person's internal state (tiredness) rather than a literal change in the object's mass.

Option B: A breaking bag is a structural failure of the container. It does not explain the sensation of the load itself feeling heavier with each step.
Option C: Receiving extra things from a friend would be a one-time event, causing a sudden increase in weight, not a gradual one that grows "with every step.".
Option D: Stopping to buy more things would increase the weight in discrete, intermittent steps, not continuously with every step.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain This question tests reading comprehension, specifically the ability to interpret figurative language related to physical sensation and fatigue as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This concept directly relates to the nursing diagnosis of 'Activity Intolerance,' a common issue in patients with cardiac, respiratory, or chronic illnesses (SRC_7417).
Nurses must assess for signs of activity intolerance, such as patient reports of fatigue, shortness of breath, or changes in vital signs during exertion. Understanding that a task can 'feel' harder is key to empathizing with and assessing the patient.
What if the question stated the woman 'staggered after a friend added a melon to her basket'? In that case, the answer would shift to Option C, as it describes a specific, literal addition to the load causing an observable effect.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question. It asks for the meaning behind a descriptive phrase.
Analyze the key phrase: "grown heavier with every step." Pay close attention to the words "grown" (implying a process) and "with every step" (implying continuity).
Evaluate the options to see if they represent a literal or a figurative interpretation.
Options C and D describe literal increases in weight, but these would happen in noticeable, separate events, not continuously with each step.
Option A describes a figurative or subjective experience—the feeling of the load getting heavier due to the person's own fatigue. This aligns perfectly with the continuous nature of the phrase.
Conclude that the writer is using a literary device to express the character's physical state of exhaustion.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: This question tests reading comprehension, specifically the ability to interpret figurative language related to physical sensation and fatigue.
Stem keywords: old lady, basket, grown heavier, every step
Lead-in keywords: Why

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 4 p. 111-113