Having spent her dollar for groceries, Ma borrowed how much money from the store clerk to buy sugar for Tom's coffee?

• A. A nickel
• B. A dime
• C. A quarter
• D. A dollar

Answer: (B)

This question tests recall of a specific detail from a scene: how much Ma borrows after spending her dollar on groceries. In that moment, she needs only a small amount to buy sugar for Tom’s coffee, and the text describes it as ten cents, a dime. That exact amount fits the Depression-era setting and Ma’s frugal posture—small change used for a small urgent need.

A nickel (five cents) would be short for buying sugar; a quarter (twenty-five cents) would be more than what the scene indicates she borrows; and a dollar would be impossible since she had just spent her dollar on groceries.