The man and boy who join Tom and the others by the river are described as heading in which direction?

• A. East
• B. West
• C. North
• D. South

Answer: (A)

The question hinges on how the text signals direction in a scene. When a narrative clearly states that characters are moving in a specific direction, that cue is the basis for the answer, not guesses from the broader journey.

In this moment, the river scene gives a direct directional cue: the man and the boy join Tom and the others and are described as heading east along the river. That explicit direction is why east is the best choice here. The river provides a geographic reference point, so the characters’ movement is anchored to the east rather than the other directions.

The other directions don’t fit because there isn’t a textual indication of north, south, or west at this moment; the scene specifies eastward movement along the river, which is the cue readers use to answer correctly.